There's nothing mini about it.

Back before Luke and I ever had kids I SWORE that I would never be a mini-van Mom. I said that I'd never drive a mini-van and that, instead, I'd drive a suburban or some other large SUV.

You know what happens when you say that you will NEVER, EVER do something, right?

God gets humorous.

(Okay, God's always been humorous, but He really shows His sense of humor when we are adamantly opposed to something that is so clearly within His control. Which, in fact, is everything. I get such a kick out of people who think that God doesn't appreciate humor. HELLO? He invented it. If you don't believe me, come to my house for 24 hours. I guarantee you'll either laugh with us or laugh at us. Either way, you're laughing.)

(Wow, tangent much?)

(Anyway.....)

Not only have I formerly driven a mini-van, I've also driven a big, red beast.

However, I no longer drive either of those things now. Both of those could be percieved as cool, or...perhaps, in light of our most recent purchase, even mini.

Nope, there is nothing mini about our newest ride.

Nothing at all.

Hey, at least I'm not a mini-van Mom, right?

My New Friend Gizmo

I've been begging Luke to buy me a laptop now for about 8-10 months (oh it's so close, let's just call it a year). At any rate, since we follow Dave Ramsey's guide and pay only cash, no credit, we've opted to wait and save up. Whew, it's been a long wait.

First we bought Big Red, which depleted our savings. Then, several small things took bites out as well. Then there was Christmas and, well...let's just say our savings account will be thrilled to see our tax return come February.

We got so many gift cards for Christmas that Luke finally said yes. We purchased a laptop at the Dell Outlet store (which for the life of me I don't know why I'd ever buy a personalized one now), and I anxiously checked my Dell account for a tracking number that never showed. I even called the Dell folks to see if they could help me track my laptop. Notta.

Wouldn't you know, FedEx would decide to deliever my new laptop just as I was 1 wipe into a smelly diaper. I had not yet showered, had on no bra, was wearing my glasses and looked, well...interesting.

Nonetheless, my new laptop loved me just the same. It was a sweet introduction and I briefly thought about grabbing my camera and taking a picture of the FedEx guy walking up to the door, but I didn't want to freak him out any further (I mean, since I looked so fab and all).

Tearing into my new toy

Isn't she lovely? Let's call her Gizmo, okay?

So now, as I sit in my bed, and write his post with Gizmo on my lap, I realize that this could evolve into a bad, bad thing. Oh well, I'm always looking for ways to test my self-control...wait, no I'm not.

No Haggle Price

Yesterday went well. Those of you who said you hate to haggled would have been very comfortable on our adventure yesterday. With only Elizabeth in tow, we headed to Charlotte. I had found quite a few vehicles online that I wanted to look at. Most of them were at smaller dealers, and very, very...seasoned.

Once more, we knew we were buying a used car, paying cash only, plus our trade. No financing here.

We visited the first place, and the car was less than promising. I think Luke would have really considered buying it, but I just felt uneasy. They claimed they'd just had $3,500 worth of work done to the van, but random things didn't work like the blinkers. Plus, they had to jump it to get it started. Hummm....

Next, we drove around Charlotte and randomly perused car dealerships. Woo-hoo (say that in your best monotone voice). Nothing. Finally, I had printed off a page for a car about 30 minutes outside of Charlotte. It was a 1995 Dodge Conversion Van and they only wanted $1,350. Off we go.

Because my husband loves to find a deal, I think he was the most excited about this one. However, when we got there, we realized a few, very important things about this "gem."

1. It had no back seat. The guy kept saying he'd bolt one in for us. Creepy.

2. The inside flashed me WAY back to 1985. How a '95 van could look that straight from the 80's I'll never know.

3. The tires didn't match.

Once again, I think Luke was really ready to consider this. However, I knew that we only had a week before our big trip and that was NOT enough time to "fix it up." When the salesman finally referred to it as a "fixer-upper" Luke got the point.

Tired, beaten and ready to call it quits, we loaded up and started home. Just for laughs, we decided to drive by a bigger dealership. You know, the ones with 300 new cars all in the different colors and always claiming to have a "S-A-L-E."

We figured it was a lost cause, but when we saw a nice conversion van sitting out front, we figured why not?

We climb out and begin inspecting this van. It is BY FAR the nicest one we've seen all day. We'd probably driven by 5 or 6 like this one already because we figured they were out of our budget. When the guy came out, I casually asked the price. Naturally, he had to go "check."

Let me just say that as much as I love to haggle, I do hate that salesmen try to act like they are stupid.

When the salesman returned, he told us the car was $7,900. WOWzers. WAY out of our price range. I immediately shut the door to the car and told him such. I mean, why look a something you can't buy? I don't like to torture myself.

Upon realizing that we were gettting in our car, he says,

"So how much are you looking at spending."

Luke says, "Whatever $3,000 plus that (pointing to our minivan) can get us."

The salesman oh so graciously asks us if he can look at our van and "See what he can do."

I turned to Luke smiling and said, "Let the games begin." This is my favorite part.

Luke and I both knew that there was no way they'd sell us that van for the price we could pay, but we played along.

He brought us the first offer, and I told him that it was a no-go. Realizing that I was serious, he said he could "check one more thing."

"You do that", I thought.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth had to go potty. Luke is always her first request for bathroom duty. I have no idea why. While they were in the bathroom, the salesman comes back.

He shows me that paper. Even though it's a terrific deal on the van, it's $1,000 out of our price range. Instead of haggling, I catch myself being brutally honest (a shocker for most of you, I'm sure).

"Look, we've been looking at cars all day. We saw this one on your lot as we drove by and thought we'd check it out. I realize that you are cutting us a great deal, but the truth is, I have $4,000 cash and that van we drove in. With 5 kids at home, I can't go take more money out of the bank, and we don't finance."

The salesman stares at me. Now, let me tell you that this guy is really nice, but he is doing his job. He tells me something about 45-60-90 grace period or something. I figured it meant borrowing money so I didn't really listen. I told him that when my husband returned, I'd show him the paper, but it was out of our budget by $1,000.

He said he had an older conversion van "up on the hill" that he would show us. Out of exhaustion, I said okay.

Luke returned with Elizabeth and we walked outside to find the ugliest thing I've ever seen. Seriously, we'd looked a lot of cars that day. No-backseater van had this one beat. It was terrible.

We shook the salesman's hand and told him thanks but no thanks. As we buckled up Elizabeth, I asked the guy for our car keys (by the way, I LOVE this trick at car dealerships, it always cracks me up).

He goes into get them but instead of coming back out himself, the manager returns.

By this point, we are exhuasted and just ready to leave. I recant everything I told the salesman to the manager. I tell him about the money in my purse and how we know it's a great deal, but it's just too much. He offers financing, we refuse. At last, he says,

"Well, let me have one more person look at your van and see if we can squeeze anything else out of it."

(In my mind, I picture a large juicer (thanks Cathy) squeezing the life out of our minivan.)

Oh me, enough already. Please, just let us leave. As another guy and the manager circle our van (which Elizabeth is buckled into and we are all but sitting in) they retreat back into the dealership.

I look at Luke and we both show the same signs of fatigue. We are SO ready to GO. Mr. Salesman comes back out and stands in front of us. He looks across the parking lot at the conversion van we've been discussing for the last 1.5 hours. He extends his hand and says,

"If you promise to tell everyone where you got a great deal, the van is yours."

Shock, sheer shock I tell you. I just knew we'd never drive off in that van. I still can't believe it.

With $4,000 cash and a minivan worth only about $1,800 (trade in) we got an $8,000 van. I've never loved driving a BIG red beast so much.


Oh, and if you need a new (different) car, I know just the place to send you.

Haggling...My 2nd Favorite Past Time

Today, Luke is off work. A week from tomorrow, we leave for a week long trip through the lovely state of Tennessee (all of it, it's a long state) and onto Arkansas. If you've been reading this blog very long, you know how I LOATHE our minivan. If you haven't been reading (or if you've forgotten) you can click here for a small sample of why.

At any rate, today Luke and I are going vehicle shopping. We have hired a sitter for the big kids, passed Baby Girl off to some friends and we plan on taking Baby D. This should be interesting. I LOVE to haggle prices. Luke HATES confrontation. Oh my, I cannot wait to tell you about our time shopping on used car lots. Because Luke and I do not "believe" in debt, we will be paying cash, plus trading our current heap of junk...er, I mean van.

Our budget is small.Very small, but I know that if it is God's desires for us to move up in the world of vehicles, then we will. We are looking for either a conversion van or a passenger van. I prefer something that I can move around in (so that I can help kids on the long trip), but a passenger van may be more practical since we are most likely NOT done adding to our quiver.

If you're a praying person, please pray that God would lead us to make a wise decision. Also, please pray for mercy on the poor salesman's soul when I..er, WE finally find the one we want. Have I mentioned I LOVE to haggle? Let the games begin.

The Bet

I really should have known you all would go crazy over the $500 bet. You want details, here they are....fair warning though, it's not that interesting.

First, I gotta give background info for those folk who may not "know" us. Luke and I will have been married 6 years this December. When we got married, Luke had been living on his own for about a year and a half and I was fresh out of college. Neither of us were exactly "seasoned" in the ways of the world. Still, we knew enough about money from what we had been taught by our parents and Luke majored in accounting and economics (I know, snoozefest huh?) in college.

My mom always told me never to put more on a credit card than I could pay off at the end of the month. Luke's mom taught him to use them only in emergencies. We were going to be responsible, we both knew that.

However, I was spoiled. Because my parents loved me so much (right mom?) they wanted me to have and experience the best things. I appreciate it so much still today. I loved the family trips we went on, the nice things I got to have and I know, now, that they made huge sacrifices for me to have and do those things. When we got married, I was a classic case of a spoiled brat. I wanted everything my parents already had and I didn't take into consideration that they had 26 plus years experience and hard work on me.

Luke has always been conservative. He rarely splurges and when he does....well, you'd better enjoy every lick of the $0.75 worth of candy....okay, he's not that bad....but almost.

Anyway, I tell you all of that so that I can tell you that it took me being pregnant with Elizabeth before I changed my concept and views of money. For more about how and why I changed, click here.

Now, on with the "bet" story. Luke and I rarely fight. When we do, like most married couples, it's about money. Generally, this is how it plays out:

I want something. It costs more than just a $100 or so and we have not budgeted or saved for it. However, I WANT IT NOW!!!

I have found 17 places that the item of my obsession is on sale/discounted/etc. and have rationalized why we can't afford NOT to buy it, because of the great price. Yes, as I type this I realize how ridiculous it sounds.

Luke and I talk about it (usually, I drive it into the ground every chance I get) and finally, I am so frustrated that I tell Luke to just make a decision so we can be done with it.

Luke says "No" to the overpriced, unbudgeted for item, and I get ticked. A day goes by and I see why he was right and I'm over it.

Pretty much, every time that's how it goes.

So, bet you're still wondering where the bet plays in aren't you? I'm getting there, I promise.

Well, Luke works for Wachovia. If you've read the paper or even turned on the TV you know that Wachovia's viability has been transferred to another banking institution. We were discussing how that would effect Luke's job and, as always, my husband says,

"Well, we shouldn't really do anything extra, just in case." (By the way, Luke's job IS NOT in jeopardy. He's just supremely cautious.)

I, off handedly and a little harshly say,

"Of course, that would be your first response. Because I've been begging to spend lots of money lately."

Yes, it was mean. Yes, it was disrespectful. Yes, I have apologized.

Anyway, (Stay with me. I promise I'm getting there.) the next day is envelope day. We do Dave Ramsey's envelope system. Each pay period we fill our envelopes, October 1st was no exception.

As we are sitting in bed, Luke diligently filling them up, he fans them all out in front of me. He looks me square in the eye and says,

"If you pick the grocery envelope, I'll double it and give you the other half."

Yeah right. Still, he holds them up. I spit in my hand and tell him to shake on it, still not believing that he could be serious. He's never serious about stuff like that.

Still he says, "Choose! I will give you $500 if you can pick which one is the grocery envelope."

In my mind I'm thinking, "He's hiding the grocery envelope so I can't pick it."

I search the bed around him, but he insists he's holding it. I touch each one to make sure that he hasn't hidden the grocery one behind another one.

Can you tell that this has NEVER happened it the 8 years we've been together?

So, trying to play it cool, I reach up and pick one of the envelopes. I'm sure you've guessed which one I chose.

Yep, that's right, GROCERY!

I think Luke had a small moment of disbelief. I stacked all the envelopes on my side of the bed and didn't give it another thought.

The next day, Luke produces another, much thicker, envelope. He looks at me and says,

"Here. I owe you from our bet."

Still, in my mind, I'm thinking he's shoved a wad of paper into an envelope to trick me. I open it up and find $500 worth of $20 bills inside.

I'm still in disbelief and still trying to figure out if he's just testing me. He swears it's not, but I'm still holding out on my shopping spree, just in case. I could see the look on his face when I show up with $500 worth of shopping bags, stuffed full. I'm pretty sure there'd be a wet spot on the floor.

See, I told you it was boring.

Five For Friday

I have no topic for today's five....

1. Lucas' new word is

"Whhhhyyyyyyyy?"

When my father in law and his wife (Luke's step mom) were in town last weekend, she got me onto saying

"Why not?" in response.

Now his new alternative response is

"Beeeccaaaauuuuuse!!" (because)

2. Tonight we are hosting a middle school girls lock in. That's right, 15 or so middle school girls in our basement. Wanna know the craziest part? I'm excited!

3. Baby D is sleeping pretty much through the night. The last FOUR nights he's slept 6 hour stretches. Yay! Why am I more tired?

4. My husband made a bet with me, which I won and he gave me $500. (Yes, you read that right.) However, because he's brainwashed me with Dave Ramsey I cannot spend it. Okay, maybe I'll spend a little, but I can't bring myself to spend it all.

Yes, I'm serious.

5. I never thought I'd actually make new friends by blogging. But, I've found that friendships have become stronger and I've actually "met" a few new people. As long as they promise not to be axe murderers, I think I'll be okay!

Happy Friday! Have a supremely blessed weekend!

It's All About Peace

Luke and I are not passionate about much. Mostly our passion is directed toward our God, family and friends. However, we are seriously passionate about money. We do not passionately pursue riches (not that we wouldn't love to have a cool million or so) but more so that we are passionate about being debt free. We are passionate about showing others the Peace that comes with knowing that your only master is God. I plan on this being a blog series, but time will tell. So, settle in, open your mind and think about your finances as I attempt to tell you why "It's All About Peace."
(Note: Please do not be offended by this post. If you recently discussed finances in your blog, asked us a question, etc. this is NOT aimed at you. Our Pastor has been doing a sermon series "How To Be Rich" and it has sparked a lot of thought. If you have asked questions or posted about money recently, please take this time to delve into my heart and understand how this spoiled "daddy's girl" learned how to be at peace with what she already has and how building riches in heaven surpasses my desire to build riches on this earth.)

As you read, please keep in mind that:
1. I am not a financial adviser
2. I didn't major in accounting/economics
3. I'm just a simple stay-at-home mom who passionately loves her Savior, Jesus Christ.

Luke and I are not completely debt free. We still have a mortgage. However, we do not have credit cards (literally, not even one), car payments, home equity loans or cash advances. Literally, all the debt we have is our mortgage. This isn't a bragging session about our family, it is simply factual. We are working fervently to pay off our mortgage so that we will not be in bondage to anyone.

Let me go further and explain my perception of bondage. Based on scripture, I see bondage as being tied to a person or possession that requires my service. Bondage keeps me from serving what I truly love and forces me to put other needs ahead of my Master's. I know this because of Proverbs 22:7 - "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." Servant? Wow. I do see Luke and I as servants. I want my only master to be God. However, because of the debt we owe to our mortgage company, we are their servants. Think about it like this....God wants His servants to do something radical, like move to Africa. However, because of ties to credit cards, mortgages, car payments, etc., the servant is unable to follow God's commands. Sure, you can sell the house, cars and "stuff" but most of the time American's are so far upside down in debt that they are unable to clear what they owe. Therefore, when God calls they are unable to answer. For me, that's not good enough. (On a side note, Onlyservants.blogspot.com does NOT fit into my above description. They pretty much rock.)

Okay, let's look at something more simple, because not everyone is moving to Africa. Let's look at something as simple as helping your neighbor. I think everyone can agree, Christian or not, that loving and helping others is what will make the difference in our world. Let's say that you are in line at Wal-mart. The lady in front of you is purchasing her groceries. She has nothing extravagant, just the necessities to feed and maintain her home; milk, bread, eggs, diapers. You see her 4 children. They look to all be ages 7ish and under. The cashier scans and bags her groceries. When totaled, it isn't an offensive amount, less than $100. She swipes a card - denied. She swipes a second card - denied. Finally, she digs into her purse and pulls out as much cash as she has. She's forced to put some groceries back and only get what she can pay for. You see the disgust on the cashiers face and feel the tug at your own heart. If only you could help, but that would mean less groceries for your own family.

Well, I was in line behind this woman. I was 6 or 7 months pregnant with our oldest child. I knew that I needed to help this woman, but I was powerless. As I watched her walk away, I was crushed for her. All she needed was an extra step, a little help, and she'd be fine. I knew that God was urging me, but I couldn't obey. I couldn't obey because I had another master. The master I was serving was college loans, credit cards and car payments. I knew that I couldn't allow those to supersede the Living God of my life. I knew I needed to change.

I challenge each person reading this to look at their checkbook. Look at your online statement. What God are you serving? Are they gods of debt? Could you respond at a moments notice and serve the Living God? Would it be financially detrimental for you to serve God when He calls? Are you bound by debt?

I want Christ to have every inch of me, my heart, my mind, my Spirit and my possessions. How much does Christ have of you?

Are you trying to serve two masters?