Women spend alot of time doing things, busing ourselves. Have you ever noticed how quickly we can fill our days with things to do, problems to solve. And there is always a mental list of things that we plan to conquer as soon as we “find a minute.” We usually find a minute for a multitude of important things, but never quite find the time for ourselves (of course, if you are the women who only finds time for herself then you need to give a little, ok 
)!).
I used to do bookkeeping. I would go to work and pay the company’s bills and organize their finances and just stay on top of things. Meanwhile my bills where often paid a few days late or I would be running in right on the deadline. It was a monthly dance that I did with my checkbook, the companies that I owed, and the post office trying to get the bills off on time. Of course the mortgage and the car notes where never late, but every bill after that was a free for all. As a matter of fact, one time about five years ago, I came home to a dark and hot house because my electricity was turned off in the middle of the summer (and it gets hot in Georgia). What’s worse is I had the money in the bank, I just didn’t pay the bill. WOW. I just didn’t pay the bill. My excuse, “I’m tired when I get home. I just can’t pay another bill” and I didn’t. So here I sat looking silly, but I couldn’t SEE myself because I was in the Dark . . .
“Can you come out today.”
“We’ll see ma’am.”
“If there is anyway that you could get to me before the end of the day, I would really appreciate it.”
“We’ll see what we can do, but the service guy for your area has a full load.”
I opened my mouth to beg one more time and before I could say a word. She spoke, “You are on his list.” Then she smiled which meant, “next please.” So I moved out the way. I was hoping they could fix this before the workday was over so that I could have lights and air that night. It’s embarrassing when you don’t handle your business. That situation irritated me, but it didn’t completely wake me up. A pair of shoes did.
That wasn’t the only bill that I paid late that month. By the time I finished my boycott on financial diligence I had paid late fees totaling $100.00. Again, it irritated me, but it didn’t wake me up. A dress did.
That weekend I went shopping feeling good with my freshly balanced checkbook knowing that I wouldn’t be juggling money because all the bills had been paid (finally) and I knew what was in my bank account. But I had forgotten about the late fees and the fact that my boycott had cost me a pocket book, a pair of shoes, a dress, as well as the pleasure of the hunt and enjoying the prize at the end of a mini-shopping spree. I knew how to work a $100.00 or at least I thought I did, until I realized I had given it away already because I wasn’t paying attention. I put everything back on the rack, and I woke up.
Now, my bills are paid like clock work. I still hate writing the checks and running to the post office, so I don’t. I use automatic bill pay from my bank (the service came free with my checking). I monitor my account periodically to make sure everything balances out and I go on with my life. My mind is free now to solve a new problem, but my bills are paid on time.
All of this is to make one point, Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds; (Pr 27:23). In all your doing, take of you and make sure that home is tight and right.
-MizJAI-
