An Ounce of Prevention

I instantly felt sick.

The moment it dawned on me what was going on, I knew we were in big trouble.

Back story:  We've been receiving overdrawn notices from a bank account we were no longer using for quite a while now.  Every other day it seemed we were being charged $28 - $56 dollars for someone trying to clear a check.  My husband couldn't find the checkbook that the checks were being drawn from so we had no way to contact the creditor.  There are multiple reasons and complicated histories as the why's and how's to this story but the end result happened the other day.

I was finally updating that check register.  Each entry of a bank charge brought a heavy sigh as the debt mounted.  Then as I was verifying a check from my own (or the household) account, I realized what had been going on.  At some point, my husband had taken my checkbook out of my wallet.  And somehow it was replaced with this other, unusable checking account.  That was over two to three months ago.

And so I, unknowingly, had been the one writing all these rubber checks.  I knew his account was messed up because, well, he doesn't have the best financial habits.  But I thought I had a pretty good grip on the household account.  Actually, I thought I was doing better than I should.  The bills were paid, but for some reason I had this big cushion.

Well, the knowledge of that big cushion turned into psychological spending privileges.  I'm ashamed to admit not only for my husband but a little for me as well.

So when I realized what had happened and the sickness was being replaced by fear and anger, I ran to the bank so no more checks would be bouncing.  As it turned out the verdict was worse than I had anticipated.  I thought I would simply write a check from the household account to cover the checks but it turned out being about $2500.00 before bank charges.  That was a lot more than I had to work with.  And the checks that were bouncing were important ones like to the IRS or to help a friend in financial need.  The panic started all over again.

If I had just noted the checkbook when it was put back into my wallet, I could have prevented all of this mayhem.  You know the saying - 'An ounce of Prevention, is worth a Pound of Cure'.

As I was driving the 30 minutes between home and bank, I was trying to pull myself emotionally out of the state I was in.  I figured there was some type of lesson I could learn from this and I could probably blog about it somehow. So I began to consider how this event applied to other areas in my life.  Where had I been deducting from the wrong account and accumulating unnecessary debt or bondage? What other scenarios could be avoided by simply doing a little thing to prevent it.

I found the following parallels:

(Granted these little things are useless at finding a cure if I stand alone - but not doing them won't find a cure either.  I'd much rather err on the side of right so I have a clean conscience than to join the ranks of diseases.)

Freedom.  I remembered I had a similar gut-wrenching reaction when I realized that my choices were limiting or preventing my own and the nation's freedom.  There I was taking handouts from the government, not actively participating in the governing affairs at all, and enjoying the (supposed) freedom it was giving me, all the while not aware of the opportunity costs (or bank charges) it was incurring.  When I realized that I was the one cutting my own throat, it turned out to be a bigger cost than it would have been had I been personally responsible in the first place.  I was bought out - and I felt sick about it.  If I had used an ounce of prevention by not supporting a system that has overstepped its boundaries, then it would never have the power to abuse me.

Money talks.  Similarly I found that I like a good price over product anyday.  Yes, that qualifies me as a tightwad.  I find that I can do without just about anything if I don't like the pricetag attached to it. I despise debt.

This tendency has been debilitating to my own value system on multiple levels. Aside from keeping me stuck in scarcity mentality, experiencing a lot of lacks, operating in fear, etc... I found I could be bought out because the price was the ultimate priority. 

It took some intense internal analysis to decide that there are more important things than saving money. When my getting the best deal gave others an advantage to attack my core values, it was time to re-evaluate my priorities.  The best comparison I've heard is -

  

'sharpening the enemies sword'  

So he could stab me in the back.

By supporting them financially, I was supporting what they would be using the money for.  Now if that had been to build their business to provide jobs for others, increase their financial empire, or even to do some other noble purpose, that would be fine.  I'm good with that.

But when they use those funds to promote such evils as gay rights, or other liberal misguided philanthropy, all causes that I'm opposed to, I've joined the ranks of being a 'useful idiot' in the political world. I didn't see the opportunity cost of buying things cheaply.  My ounce of prevention here is support those businesses that support my values - even if it is more expensive.  The peace of mind far outweighs the cost of the product.

World Views.  There are  A LOT of world views out there.  Philosophies, ideologies, opinions.

What surprises me is the amount of people who adopt a world view without doing their homework.  Or flip from one to another without realizing where their own allegiance lies. Not standing for anything so they fall for everything.

This is probably the biggest opportunity cost because it involves our very direction in life.  If we view life's purpose to be to obtain pleasure... wealth... popularity... build empires... give service... obedience to a higher power... or just to get through with as little injuries as possible - it greatly affects what deposits are being made into what account, what withdrawls are being deducted, and of course, what the charges will result because of it.

If we are depositing our faith and support into one world view, deducting at pleasure, but it is in the wrong bank account - the penalties will be great indeed.

The ounce of prevention here lies in obtaining true truths - not just declaring what 'truth' works to your supposed best advantage.  And then live your life accordingly.  

Hypocrisy is a challenging thing to overcome, but the life of consistent loyalty to THE world view earns many dividends rather than penalties.


I know these little preventions are insignificant to the diseased world we live in.  But the ounce of prevention is a small and simple things that bring great things to pass.

My Victory Formula

It was one of those moments.  I'm sitting there listening to the class being presented when my mind is flooded with word phrases and ideas that seem too profound to just ignore.  I grabbed my portable device and started my finger sliding over the touchscreen keyboard.

Yes, I was probably inspired from the previous class that was on the atonement, and so it may have been the trigger that got my brain working.  But this is what I came up with:

     1.  Access the Atonement
     2.  Gratitude for the Vision
     3.  Meet the Minimum

ACCESS THE ATONEMENT
     All around us, people are building their own Tower of Babels.  Attempting to gain access to something that has only one possible entrance.  Whether it is climbing the ladder of success, setting goals with frequent course corrections, positive mental attitude, working harder or smarter, requesting from the 'universe', or any number of other partial power sources that beat around the bush without hitting the target head on.  

However, the atonement of Christ has genuine power - healing power, purifying power, saving power, redeeming power.  But the power that gets most overlooked is the enabling power.  Why would anyone attempt to be successful without accessing the power which increases their capacities.  

And all that is required to access this pure genuine power is to sacrifice our selfish pride.  Recognizing that we are not enough alone and laying our burden at His feet.  Repenting of the sins we've committed or the good works we've omitted.  Humbly seeking his aid and then submitting to his will, especially if it is contrary to our own.  Receiving His word through pondering, reflecting, and personalizing His teachings in our lives.  

Granted, it is not an easy step, but who ever claimed victory to be an easy process.  

GRATITUDE FOR THE VISION

Vision indicating our vision manifested as well as the vision we hope to create.

Our life's circumstances are the consequences of past choices or . . . opportunities for growth.  What we are experiencing right now is either God's manifestation of respect for our agency (even if it was a poor choice on our part) or a manifestation of His trust in our ability to grow beyond our current status.  Keeping that perspective helps me to be grateful for where I am, even when where I am is sometimes unpleasant.

Being grateful for what will come into our life is an expression of faith that God honors our heart's desire and . . . if it is right for us, will provide for our needs.  Sometimes in unexpected or miraculous ways, but I trust that he loves me enough to create the circumstances that are in my best interest.

MEET THE MINIMUM
There is too much to do in a single day.  There is too many good things to successfully prioritize based on that merit alone.  So when I say meet the minimum, take it with tongue and cheek because it is the goal, not the mandate.  It is the 1% principle.  It is the consistency effort of small and simple things.  It is the default when life allows these items to be attended to between crisis or unrelenting schedules.  

Since there is too much to do, especially with children, I like to pray that the most important items will get the proper amount of attention.  That may change from day to day.  One day, relationships may need to be strengthened as a high priority.  Another, it might be more important to put my home, my health, or my finances in order. 

These seven areas are my personal pursuits that require my time and attention in order to maintain as well as progress.  They are:
     1- Physical Activity
            This could be anything from working up a sweat or getting my own drink of water rather than being lazy and asking someone else to do it.
     2- Home Stewardship
            Daily maintaining is essential for my mental health, plus meals and laundry never cease
     3- Study 
            Come face to face with greatness, practice pondering, listening to audiobooks while busy
     4- LOVE
             Strengthening relationships by loving God, spouse, children, friends.
     5- Manage the Money
              Know where my money is, where it is going, and what I want it to do for me.
     6- Be a Force for Good
              This phrase resonates so strong with me that I know this is a deep inner desire.  As long as I keep the desire before me, I hope that I will be able to influence someone in a positive manner.
     7- Mission Momentums
              Momentums are the baby steps that get the ball rolling.  Once in motion, it tends to stay in motion, so I want to regularly do the babystep momentums that that will help me fulfill my life's mission.

There it is.  My Victory Formula.  Even if it doesn't produce the goals or material success that I perceive as necessary in my life, I know I will experience inner peace by focusing on these three things.  And inner peace is truly a Victory.