tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51931934654281885552008-07-17T14:14:33.144-05:00Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-6220346076342172512008-07-17T13:53:00.003-05:002008-07-17T14:14:33.170-05:00

Did you see the next series at CCC? It's titled "OMG", and if you receive Dave's email about upcoming messages, you may notice week 2 (July 26/27) is named "Why Give?". Coolness. Oh wait - I meant: Oh crud. Quick Jeff, turn off your cell phone before you get a tex...... Too late. Should be another great weekend. Personally, I am hyped about week 1 ("Why Sing?"). Ya know that sound you hear

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-76872036961774581322008-07-09T08:11:00.005-05:002008-07-09T08:33:42.908-05:00

Sure enough, "Blue Like Jazz" has a chapter about finances and tithing. And I am officially calling Don Miller a thief, as it's obvious he stole my thoughts, feelings and fears with money and put them into his book. Right there on page 196, about 2/3s down, is the plagiarism: "I think it would be easier to trust God if I had extra money to trust Him with." I can't say how true that is in my

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-83780583649024703162008-07-04T17:02:00.003-05:002008-07-04T17:35:21.532-05:00

I hate Community Christian Church. I hate my wife. I hate my kids. I hate John & Amy Ciesniewski. I hate Chris Brown. I hate Justin Forsythe. And even though I don't know you personally, I probably would hate you too. Now, before you grab your mental tomatoes (btw - I hate tomatoes), give me a chance to explain, you will see where I am headed with this. Got a few more chapters into "Blue Like

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-42732811331781085862008-07-03T09:21:00.002-05:002008-07-03T11:17:58.636-05:00

I attend two small groups. Ok - I FAITHFULLY attend one (Thursday night with my wife - and the leader is my pastor, so I'll get some grief if I don't show), and I also have a Saturday night morning men's group that I try to get to, but it's tough. See - I get up during the week at 5am to leave by 6 for work, and I usually am up 6am on Sundays for church, so I would like one day a week to "sleep

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-17590021802580064622008-06-19T12:09:00.002-05:002008-06-19T12:41:46.746-05:00

Before I get into the subject matter of this post, let me update you on the 5/7th-ing. We did get back on track this past weekend. Now, I am still in debt to God (talk about your understatements!), but it felt good to get back in line with our promise. More honoring a-coming this weekend. Then it gets tough - I'll address that in another post soon. Oh - and sorry if I don't blog enough. I tend

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-9421445825736352912008-06-06T15:48:00.003-05:002008-06-19T12:43:34.073-05:00

Yes - that reads just like it reads. Fail. F-A-I-L As in I failed last week in honoring my commitment to God on the first day of the week with my first fruits. Heck - I didn't even Cain it last weekend. Nothing. Totally nothing. The previous week or so, I made some major calculation error on the budget (mostly in my head). Next thing I knew, our bank account... well, it had a decent money

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-12813828517955697992008-05-28T12:00:00.004-05:002008-05-28T15:46:10.365-05:00

Alright. So we have been consistently honoring God with 5% at first, currently at 7% (with a 10% thrown in one week being wacky), and it's been rough. No lies there. Bills still aren't great, but they are getting paid. Making some financial mistakes, but that stupidity, and that's not really His fault. We have food and clothing and entertainment. We have been faithful, trusting we will not be

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-41444780749300048592008-05-20T11:59:00.002-05:002008-05-20T12:03:59.263-05:00

I had a couple friends hear about my commitment and they wanted to high five me! HIGH-FIVE HOLLYWOOD! on FunnyOrDie.com Ok....not really. :)

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-39580712103850543572008-05-18T16:57:00.002-05:002008-05-18T17:25:57.399-05:00

Last week I messed up. Ya see, the last two digits of my social security number is 65 (find the other 7 and you can exploit my credit. Good luck with that - my credit, not finding out my numbers). So with those digits, we received our stimulus check back on the 9th. Finally - those kids are paying off for us! :) However, on the 11th, guess which blog writer that you are currently reading forgot

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-89037731827936301762008-05-06T15:58:00.002-05:002008-05-06T16:06:30.681-05:00

Take a guess: Fears this week - need tires for my car and we are behind on a couple bills, so I had to step back from the 10% of last week. I wanted to have some progress, though. Lucky 7, right?

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-14153124441818456712008-05-01T11:37:00.005-05:002008-05-01T12:12:12.989-05:00

Jobless claims surge Oil profits soar Foreclosures Spending up as prices soar Recession How does one honor God with the first fruits in a world with these headlines?

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-783602557624626312008-04-23T11:28:00.002-05:002008-04-23T12:10:53.868-05:00

What is it with God and His desire to make me look silly and dumb? (Before you get offended - please read that above phrase as total tongue-in-cheek, and keep reading this post.) Anyway - why does He do that? Is it some superiority complex? He has all this great power and just likes to do things to show He can? Geeez.... So you are probably wondering what I am talking about? Ok - let me give

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-59167681352390084342008-04-20T10:35:00.003-05:002008-04-20T11:00:46.287-05:00

Ok - we did it. 10% of this week's income was put on a check, put in the envelope and placed in the bag - half pledged to the Village Team and the other half to Reproducing Church. So much of me feels really, REALLY great right now. What a difference we get to make, along with the others that took part in Celebration Generosity. Impacting the world, whether next door, across town or across the

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-15781001299536912702008-04-15T09:08:00.002-05:002008-04-15T10:00:45.202-05:00

This is a week I have both been excited for, and dreading. Excited because of the Celebration Generosity, a real way to see the difference my financial gifts will make in the world. And with my slow release of the hold money has on me, it was a step up a percentage point (or more) in giving to His kingdom. My goal, actually, was a full 10% this weekend, knowing that I am giving to people that

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-31765655591529896582008-04-05T21:44:00.010-05:002008-04-06T09:42:28.435-05:00

Last night was the dinner for the New Thing reproducing church team. Needless to say - information was flying. Some great and some very humbling. What caught me the most (worst) was this little tidbit. In 1900, there was one church for every 358 people. In 2004, that number has dropped, or risen, based on how you look at it, to one church for every 909 people. That's not very good. Being that

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-63674186773378312852008-03-26T11:52:00.003-05:002008-03-26T12:17:13.464-05:00

Sorry it took me a few days to update here. Work has been... oh what's that word..... er..... oh yeah: crappy. We (and by "we", I mean my fellow tech support nerds) are still trying to catch up with all the major mistakes this month. We update our software monthly, and let's just say this month didn't go so good. Factor in a program release for customers that connect to us with a modem (yes, they

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-6477182297357808772008-03-21T13:59:00.003-05:002008-03-21T14:37:36.242-05:00

Just what is with this weather? Are they kidding us? Opening day is just 10 days away. And in 8 days the Sox play the Mets in the Civil Rights game in Memphis. This is crazy. Anyhow... in our small group last night, Kath commented on how we haven't moved up to 6% yet, even though she thinks we are ready. WHOOOAAAA!!!! Slow down, lady. What do you think this is?? :) In all seriousness, she

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-79194547839288688002008-03-18T13:40:00.002-05:002008-03-18T13:54:23.511-05:00

Right here is a very unfavorable report on a recent poll of Americans and their concerns for the economy. I have to say I am definitely in the 91% and not the other group. I have gone through a few job losses because of concerns with corporate profits, and that only makes time at home that much harder. My job right now seems pretty secure. Kath with always be in demand in her career, it's more a

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-49924360794670964162008-03-16T15:29:00.004-05:002008-03-16T21:52:17.252-05:00

$277.65. That was the size of the check I wrote this week. There is a huge part of me that just can't believe I wrote a check that large and gave it away, based only on the promise of a different life in return. That part of me screams "What are you thinking???" and "You must NOT be thinking!" and "That's it - I'm in charge!". I filled out the check Friday night, put it in my wallet and didn't

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-69574373176500120632008-03-14T22:25:00.004-05:002008-03-14T23:33:46.943-05:00

I started mentally planning for this big weekend a short time back when I noticed on the calendar that my bonus and Kath's salary would come on the same day. So today, I did what I said I would do. I viewed my current week's stub and I know just what my pledge is to God from it, to the penny. And now, I just grabbed my wife's pay stub, did the math and I know exactly what a five-the is of the

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-12539086847927655782008-03-12T12:02:00.004-05:002008-03-12T13:16:20.668-05:00

Last night in bed I was catching up with the Bible. Kathy is working her way cover to cover, and really enjoying it. Right now, I am focused on reading the Gospels, and I'm catching up with Luke right now. All I gotta say is the Son of the Big Guy TOTALLY laid the smack down on the Pharisees. I was in chapter 11 to narrow it down, and verse 42 to be specific: "Woe to you Pharisees, because you

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-7576044239345816402008-03-10T12:21:00.004-05:002008-03-10T14:36:57.308-05:00

Well, I was close. $90.85 was a decent guess. Turns out, my five-the would have been $92.63. That puts me a buck 78 in the hole. I just have to remember to: 1) check my benefit account this Friday to determine my five-the. 2) add $1.78 to the total 3) remember my checkbook. Hey - I should use Remember The Milk to send me a text message before I leave the house! Ok - I created the weekly task.

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-57177955149860006442008-03-09T10:58:00.004-05:002008-03-09T21:48:37.587-05:00

Almost blew it this week, but I recovered and made good to God. Though, I won't be sure how well I guess-timated until Monday at work. See - before I left work Friday, I forgot to check my pay stub. We're paperless when it comes to payroll, so I don't get a stub. That being that, I have no idea exactly how much I earned the past two weeks. Then, to make it even harder, I left the house this

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-43836199130405681902008-03-05T12:38:00.005-06:002008-03-05T12:45:30.629-06:00

So I have been playing around just a little with Mint, and check this out:

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5193193465428188555.post-53615456839511827342008-03-04T13:08:00.004-06:002008-03-04T13:45:24.414-06:00

So I'm a bit of a nerd. No really - I am. All my life (pretty much) has been in computer support - in one form or another. PCMag puts out a yearly list of the coolest free (or dang near free) programs. Another great list this year, and a couple of the programs jumped out at me. First is a free online money management, finance tracker called Mint. That's right up my five-the alley, so I signed up

Jeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.com