New Year, New ways to make a living...

As the New Year begins, we are facing a time of financial turmoil and frustration due a lot to the fact that our economy must go through the withdraw pains of credit abuse.  Think about it, we've been so addicted to credit as a nation, that even the solution involves borrowing more money!   Sorry to say, this will not bode well for us going forward, and inflation will eventually take over.   Currently Treasury bills are being issued at around 0% interest, meaning they will have no value to the holder (and will cost the holder with inflation accounted).  This is the writing on the wall for many that it's time to get all the ledgers straight as we move to a period of belt tightening.

So what's a family to do during times of recession?  Well, it means you need to produce more and make more capital in order to pay those raising prices.  I know it's a tough time to ask the boss for a raise,  since most companies are trying to cut those costs also.  This is where innovation and creative thinking must reign.  

Start with getting your household in order, make a living budget that includes what it cost to live right now.  In a financial planning class I took some years ago, they suggested you create a log and write down every cent spent.  Do this for 1 month including all your bills, nail down where all that money is going, down to the item purchased if possible. 

Now understand what you are paying for, if a loaf of Organic top shelf bread is costing you $2.53, look for other solutions.  Bread machines at a thrift store might only cost you $15.00, and a loaf of bread with a machine might only cost $0.45 to make.  Consider making bread not just for you, but also for your neighbors, at $1.20 a loaf you can make up the cost of the machine, and also put a little cash into your pocket.

Electricity is another huge cost, though our bill is normally about $150.00, there are a ton of ways to save which are simple, like unplugging those voltage adapters (the big bricks on game systems and cell phone chargers) when not being used.  These are often called 'Vamps' simply because they suck electricity even when not being used to charge the batteries.  What did our great-grandparents do before they had electricity... well they used candles and lamps.  This is also a simple solution, though does not necessarily provide for cost savings.

Another simple solution, which uses a lot of our time is TV, consider firing your TV.  I know Americans spend a lot of time in front of the TV, and this isn't very productive time.  Instead, read a book, take up a craft which could provide a source of income.  

I know that what I've written above isn't revolutionary, actually it might seem downright barbaric to some.  Times are changing, and things aren't going to get easier.  Right now is the best time to pay off those credit cards, loans, and mortgages and try to get as debt free as possible.  

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Disclaimer:  The ideas and thoughts above are mine completely, and don't endorse or promote anything other than my thoughts.  Please leave comments of suggestions if you have any ideas yourself for saving money, or making extra money during lean times.

Christmas Conspiracy

This is the cheerful time of the year when we are buying like crazy, and getting ready for that one day when we give (and receive), only to have a shallow feeling of joy. The mood is comfortable, as we gather around the fire and enjoy something simple like Hot Chocolate, Tea or Coffee, not even considering that these are all made with water, a commodity so valuable, yet so many people in the world lack clean water. People are in need! Wouldn't it be better to give something which last for generations, rather than a few weeks?

I've outlined below a list of organizations who's purpose this year is to build wells for drinking water in areas where no wells exist.

• Advent Conspiracy


• Living Waters International


• Hydrate Hope


• Samaritan's purse - water filters


• Samaritan's purse - Fresh water well

Your Kingdom Come, Your Will be Done!

As many of you know, two weeks ago I lost my job at Dell. I lost a lot in the way of security, and self value (false self value), and just overall direction. My job was my life in more than one way, It provided me value for who I was as a person. In this way I can look back and say that my job was an Idol, it was taking up space which God wanted to occupy in my life. I was sinful and wrong for making my job take the place of God, and I fall on my face now asking God to forgive me to help me gain His vision for my occupation.
God does bless those who are in the process of discipline, He provided a nice severance package, and two months of paid Cobra. Over the past few weeks, I found out that my oldest son has epilepsy, which has also made getting a job more important. But now the question is where does God want me to work? What does he want me to do? Well the answer to this first question was actually pretty easy.

1) What should my occupation, or the purpose of my work be? I found the answer in Matthew 28:18-20 "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you . And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Of course this is simple to say, but hard to actually do, where ever God wants me to work, my purpose will be to reach out to those outside the Body and present my life as a living gospel.

2) What type of benefits package should I be seeking to cover my family? This is a really hard one, at Dell this was a security blanket I trusted but in Luke 12:22 Jesus says this to his disciples: " Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. Consider the ravens; They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like on of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink, do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well." This is really hard, put powerful. God wants me to lay down every bit of security on His Alter, burn the Idols and trust that He will provide for me better than Dell provided for me. I know this is crazy talk in the world of "You must have health insurance" world we live today. The real question is can I live by faith that God will provide the things I need the most? Matthew writes the same quote in his gospel account Matthew 6:25-34, but in Matthew 6:33-34 he writes "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." My focus is now returning back to that Kingdom view. My job has to be kingdom focused. My occupation MUST be kingdom focused. My benefit package must be placed into the hands of God.

3) What should I do? Currently I'm unemployed. I can't stand here idle, I must work, actually work is what God created me to do. So what is my work? I'm really good at understanding technical things, I'm able to break up a project into simple tasks, I can write programs, I can learn stuff quickly, I can communicate technical things, and train people by making complex things simple. Currently I'm working on projects at my church (http://www.crosspointeaustin.org/) building technical processes. I know these are all marketable skills, I could easily get a nice cushy job in a big company. Other skills, which are just as important include teaching The Bible in a simple and practical ways, being a servant, taking on things which has no immediate gain because I envision something great. These are not very marketable in the pagan worldview.
Which is currently vexing me. The above list is what I do, It's was a gift I was given, How does this fit into the purpose, the occupation of building the Kingdom?

About an hour ago I woke up from a sound sleep with an idea, something tugging at my heart. I must find a company where I can do my work, the gifts which God has blessed me, along with building the kingdom. I want to make a global impact for the kingdom.

John 4:33-34 in this passage the disciples have just rejoined Jesus after he met with the Samaritan woman at the well. Of course the disciples being guys have that simple human response "Have you eaten yet?" The reply of Jesus is so simple: "My food" said Jesus "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his waves, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. I send you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."

The job is simple, yet so profound. I need to be a reaper, I need to work in a company where I'm not a robot, and I have relationships with people on the other side of the globe. I need to work for a company who has no qualms about spreading the gospel, actually a company who's mission is spreading the gospel. A company who's work is allowing it to grow into the ends of the earth so it can hire people and present them with the gospel.

Back to the question of my occupation, what do I want to do with my life? The answer is simple, to do His will!

Please keep us in your prayers,

A bond Servant in Christ

Stephen Frick

Looking for a leader

As many of you know, well most of you know, The United States is now in it's process to find a new President (just in case you were hiding under a rock). This time, the campaigns began a lot sooner than expected. On the path to show he or she is the right person for the top job, A job by the way that doesn't really pay well for a CEO, and has a lot of headaches. When this position originally opened, it was more of a figure head. Some of the founders didn't even want the position (like Ben Franklin), but now after 232.5 years this job has become pretty important. Today the position has the unofficial title of "The most powerful man/woman in the world" since the US is the largest superpower.
The question which I want to pose is what is the purpose of the office? Today some might say the office has the power to make people rich, provide food for the hungry of the world, cure Aids, Cancer, Drug abuse, maybe even RLS. The President can make war, and end war, and can even make peace. But what can the president actually do?

• can spend or not spend money, given to him by congress.
• can approve laws, or veto bills.
• can appoint Judges to the Supreme court, and other federal courts.
• gives guidance to the offices which report to his office.
• negotiates treaties
• and many more duties

Now with all this power comes the responsibility to do what is important to the American people, but what do the people think in general the president will do for them? Some think that this person elected will solve all the problems, when in reality it isn't one person who can make any decision, it takes the entire congress, courts and executive branch to make it work. So, when we vote for a person, we are voting more for the ideas of that person than the person in general.

Another New Year, time for more thought and pondering

Hello friends and family. I want to thank everyone for your prayers during my major time of need. As most of you know I was burned a month ago (Dec 1st 2007) while outside burning brush. Our last year has been full of ups and downs, but the most important thing is we saw the Hand of God protect us during some very scary events.
Besides being burned, Kimberly had a large growth on a ovary which had to be removed, and my car was stuck in a low water crossing (still not running). But thru the shadow of death, we saw God protecting us each step we trod. On the high notes we see our children grow each day. Also Kimberly and I had an opportunity to again go and work with friends in the Ukraine reach out to more students for the Kingdom of God. God has been so good to us!
This next year is going to be again full of other adventures still unseen, but we know that his providence will cover us completely. My hope for the next year is that I will step out from my comfort zone, and truly stand at the edge of the Precipice and rely only on His faithfulness to truly live my life.

New Years Resolutions
I've been keeping track of my goals for the past few years, and I would like to share with you a great site! www.43things.com is a place to keep track of what your top 43 things, and you can also post messages, ask for help, and just get motivated to do what you really want to do this year. Feel free to check out my site: http://www.43things.com/person/SFrickTexas

New Blog on Homeschooling
We are actually newbie's to home schooling, but we would like to share what very little we've learned or used that works for us.

And of course we want to keep in touch more with our Friends and Family. While being laid-up after the burns, I learned (and became addicted to) face book, a really cool site for sharing with people. You can now find both Me and Kimberly on the site. Our Prayers are with all of you, and May God Bless you all during this New Year.