Pretty nails

I was playing the piano for choir practice on Wednesday and Emma came up to me and said.....PRETTY NAILS! I said thanks! I got them done at the mall! She was so excited for me.

I am hitting hard times money wise. I only watch three little ones now. I make about 54.00 with the boys and 60 with Josie. That doesn't make a car payment, buy groceries, make a bank payment, a credit card payment and my cell phone bill. With 5 phones, its pretty high! I have asked my girls to pay me for their phone bill but I have yet to see any money.

I have two lessons I think I'm supposed to learn. You say, why get the nails if you are broke?

Ron and I got an emergency phone call for some carpet cleaning. Paul was putting acid on his basement floor. He was wearing Black socks. Those black socks "melted" all the way up 23 stairs, leaving a black residue. Rhe was a little on edge about the situation. You could tell she was trying to have humor in it, but really didn't want to have to re carpet all of her stairs, about 40 or more (so they would all match).

We drove to Hastings (46miles) and tried everything to get the black up. The chemicals we had were not budging the residue. I got this brilliant idea to just cut the tip of the fibers, then Ron used some chemical and got the rest of the residue. Needless to say it took me an hour to cut every black fiber I could cut. By the end of the adventure I could NOT feel the tip of my thumb. It was weird. After two weeks it was frustrating, now its been over a month. I'm just resigned to having a prickly, tingly feeling in my thumb. Let me tell you, I did NOT like it when I had to play for the choir the following Sunday. It bothered me. It was all I could do to concentrate on the piece I was playing and the beautiful voices that was trying to bring the spirit into the Christmas program.

It doesn't take much for me to get distracted while playing the piano. Its quite annoying. People say I'm a great site reader, but my main problem is my attention span. I do pretty good for maybe 2 verses and then after that I'm wondering what is for lunch, or what is so and so saying cuz I hear whispering, or MY THUMB IS BUGGING ME!

I reflect on my friend who has MS. I asked her that question, if times are tough money wise, why do you have pretty nails. She told me that the nails keeps you from feeling the ends of your fingers, they are really sensitive to touch. Hmm, that makes sense. So Now I truly truly understand that concept. It's only one finger, so I feel blessed its not all fingers, but man, it is annoying! I try and exercise it, pull it, massage it, NOTHING!

The second lesson is.......we "afford" what we "think" we need to "afford". I have a sweet daughter that says she is broke, but finds her self at a higher class restaurant on Friday nights. You spend your money where you think it is the right place to spend it.

I have never been one with money. In fact, I get a little money and I give it away. It is so strange. I got some heart money years ago and I went out and bought gift cards for some of the ward members for a secret Santa gift. I send money in the mail to friends in need all the time. I'm not trying to toot my horn, but that is just what I do. It's like I'm allergic to money. I should have got myself some braces with that money instead it went for my family and really nice van. What is God trying to tell me?

Now that I am barely making my payments, my debt is up to my eyeballs, and what is God telling me?

I read the Visiting Teaching message. It hit me. Self Reliance. You take care of YOU and your Family, and then puts you in a better position to help others. I was doing it opposite! I will do better. I hope that I can live how God needs me to live. And that means MONEY WISE.

(I also feel very weird when people give me money. I don't like that kind of "debt" either. I'd rather give. haha)

God, I don't mind earning my money!

Thank you for all that I have, and will have! I'm grateful for the testimony of tithing.

The windows have NOT yet opened, but I'm still hoping they will soon! LOL