6 Financial Milestones Before 30

One of my coworkers sent me this article out of MSN Money because I love lists, and because I'll be turning 30 next year. Plus, I love being out of debt and I'm a big supporter of getting out of debt - check out http://www.daveramsey.com/. Check to see if you're ready to turn 30 financially!

Article - http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/HomeMortgageSavings/6-financial-milestones-before-30.aspx#pageTopAnchor

You need to:
1. Scale back the credit cards.
2. Own a home -- or have a plan.
3. Have skills.
4. Give money away.
5. Know thyself.
6. Know smart people.

Until next time!

HEY YOU!

A few things tonight:

Thanks Jadon for hosting a great Super Bowl Party!

Ask the Pastor - be thinking of your questions you'd like to ask the pastors. In a month, they'll be joining us in Sunday School to answer your questions. But, you have to put your questions in the box before that Sunday so get your question in now and then come back and join us for what will be a GREAT DAY of learning from our pastors.

Be in prayer for our church's 40 days of Community starting April 19th. More info to come. Also be in prayer that a men's small group would begin.

Leadership? Want to learn more about what God wants in you as a leader? Check out Elevation Church's latest sermon series - Purple People Eaters - doesn't it make you at least want to find out what that title is all about? Hmm.. http://www.elevationchurch.org/mediaPlayer.php?sermon=158

Wonder why I have this much energy at 11:20 p.m.? Mountain Dew Voltage - NOW it kicks in - AFTER the Super Bowl. YIPPEE for me. :-) Hehehe. Not good.

Have a great week! :-)

Fight Today’s Battles with Tomorrow’s Strength

http://www.stevenfurtick.com/uncategorized/today%e2%80%99s-battles%e2%80%a6tomorrow%e2%80%99s-strength/

Are you trying to fight today’s battles with tomorrow’s strength? Check this blog post out. It's great!

Our economy

http://www.boundlessline.org/2009/01/the-pill-will-save-our-economy.html

This is an interesting article. Please read it and let me know what your thoughts are. I think our government is spending too much money. But, now we're helping the states with their planned parenthood services? I don't think we should be helping these companies out, and now I really don't think we should be helping those services out. Gracious!

I don't normally put controversial things on here, but I'm Pro-Adoption and Anti-Abortion. Plus, maybe if I put some controversy on here, you'll comment.

Guard Your Heart

I keep on being inspired by the various blogs I follow. I need to come up with my own blog posts rather than just pass along their inspiration. Anyway, I have another one today. I really don't know how I found this blog. I don't know the person, but I always love her posts. Here's one of my favorites - Guard Your Heart - http://www.kraedesign.com/blog/?p=465

She uses the verse that says "Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." ~Proverbs 4:23

I hope you all have a great weekend and as always, I'd love to hear your comments about this post and others! :-)

Awesome Read and Inauguration Day

http://hollyfurtick.typepad.com/the_preachers_wife/2009/01/mmc-he-still-walked-with-a-limp.html

AWESOME READ! It's written by someone I graduated from college with. Her husband is the pastor at Elevation Church (link is on the right side of the blog). I didn't know too much about this passage in the Bible and it just reminded me of all the great words of wisdom that come out of the lesser known verses in the Bible.

I hope you all got to see at least pieces of the inauguration and the festivities. It was a great day and everything went well - AWESOME! Even Senator Kennedy that had some health problems was better by the end of the day. Please keep President Obama, Vice President Bidden, and their families in your prayers continually. They're going to need our prayer for whatever America's future is.

Have a great day!

Benjamin Buttons

I saw the movie "Benjamin Buttons" today with Brad Pitt. It had some AWESOME CASTING, AWESOME MAKEUP, AWESOME STORY LINE, AWESOME ACTING, ETC. Just a note: it does have some nudity, a few cuss words, and just keep in mind that it's adult movie. It was noted by my friend Julie that it was much like Forest Gump and The Notebook, and I agree.

But, most of all, it made you think! Or at least it made me think. In Sunday School, we're reading and studying the book - Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper. I'm only on ch. 5 and 6 right now, but I already want to encourage everyone to at least read those chapters. Reading this book, and seeing this movie about this person's life (fake as it might be) just reminded me that you can't take life for granted. With that, it just encouraged me to stop dragging my feet in some areas of my life. Live life to the fullest doing what God wants you to do. We've got to stop dreaming, wishing, hoping, etc. Pray about it and take a risk. I would encourage you read the book and understand what the good risks are and the bad risks before just taking that leap off the empire state building (cause I'm thinking that's a bad risk).

So, if you're looking for a movie to see - Benjamin Buttons is it!

Some other movies:

Momma Mia! - great story line, AWESOME FUN MUSIC, but they could have cleaned it up a little (language, humor, and the scenes). OH! By the way, it's a MUSICAL = They sing A LOT!

Bride Wars - great story line again, great acting, but again they could have cleaned it up a little (language, anger, and the scenes). They could have directed it better. It's got the girl from Princess Diaries, but it's NO PRINCESS DIARIES. This is an adult film. Do not take school age kids.