It's almost time...

...am I ready?

I don't know that I am. I keep thinking that maybe we should have started in February so that we had all of January to mentally prep but Richie seems to think that it's the best way to start the year off. I do agree, however, because I want this to be a life change and not a temporary one, I need to have my mind in the right place or else I will never be able to make it through all 7 months. Lord, please give me the strength and fortitude to make it to the end...

January is money month. I'll elaborate more on that in a couple days time, but suffice it to say that I think this month is going to be a tough one. Not necessarily because of the restrictions, though it will be hard to avoid fast food on the nights when I don't want to cook and even harder to avoid any and all mindless shopping for an entire month. Though maybe a month isn't long enough...I rarely ever get to shop anymore. Hmm.

Anyway, I think it will be tough only because we don't really spend money in any "extra" places except at restaurants and fast food places. We usually only shop at places like wal mart and target and Giant anyway, we just tend to buy a lot of random stuff while we're there. Now that I think about it, we should set a limit for each location (except bills, those suckers are a surprise every month) and only spend within that limit for the month of January. Or at least commit to only going to the store to buy what is ABSOLUTELY necessary, and any extra stuff will have to be avoided or else terrible punishment shall await. It just will.

We have our seven locations more or less picked out, and I'm looking forward to officially beginning and getting everything underway. I just want this lifestyle change to be permanent in a way I cannot even explain. Think of it this way: on a scale of 1-10 determining the wasteful and excessive lifestyle we're living, we probably rate about an 8 or 8.5. I kid you not. I want to "fast" down to a 2 or 3. Probably closer to 3. When this is all over, I want to bounce back to a 5 at the most. Maybe 5.5. I know I won't be able to restrict myself of everything defined in 7, but I obviously don't want to go right back to our wasteful and excessive ways. 5 is a good balance I think, and I would be happy with that for now. Perhaps I can do some more pruning and streamlining as time goes on.

I want this to take our hearts and minds and break them down to their bare basics, and when we feel like we don't have enough/want more/need more/ can't live without more, I want to have nowhere to turn but Jesus. I think so often I feel a burning desire for something and have practically every opportunity to turn to the thing itself for comfort. If I want to buy something, it's online or at the store. If I want to eat something, it's there in the fridge. If I want to play on the computer or phone instead of doing work, it's here at my disposal. The list is endless when it comes to all the things I have. Things I do lack are patience, will power, the ability to go without...I don't want that to be me. I don't want to be the person that has everything and always wants more. I want to be satisfied with Jesus, and everything that comes after that is something extra, something more than I deserve. I want that to be my mindset every morning when I wake up and every night when I go to sleep. Anything else is just unacceptable to me.

I know I won't always be perfect at all this. I can guarantee I won't be anywhere near perfect. But I want to give this my all. I want to look back on these 7 months as monumental to our life history. I don't want to ever forget that I went without and came out BETTER, STRONGER, HAPPIER. That's all I want. Please Lord, let it be so.

It's almost time. I believe I am ready.