The Estate

It has been nearly a year since my mom passed away after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease. The saying "the long goodbye" is true. Watching her decline was one of the hardest things I have had to work through in my life. I'm so very thankful for good care that was found in an "Alzheimer Care Facility". While it was hard to see her there....they took very good care of her right to the end. They were like extended family in some ways.

Just this last week her estate finally settled. I hadn't been expecting much (due to the amount and length of care she needed) but when I got the check it was a surprise. About 3 times what I had been expecting. So....now it is time to consider how to handle it well and not spend it all!!! I had been reading Dave Ramsey's book "7 steps to Financial Freedom" (or something like that). His advice is to stop getting in debt (duh!!), build a 3-6 month emergency fund, pay off ALL consumer debt (other than the house), and then start working on a retirement fund (there are some more steps after that). With this blessing from mom we are able to put the emergency fund into place. We had already dealt with all consumer debt so now it's time to plug something into retirement. It is a place I never thought we would get to.

I am amazed how it feels to come over this hump. We have lived paycheck to paycheck almost our whole married life. And now that we are here I can see how God has spent these many years breaking away my need for STUFF. If this event had happened earlier in life I think that I would have not done well with it. But now....the stuff is just not important! Last Sunday I was able for plug some $$ into our churches Good Samaritan Fund and that felt really good. We are now looking at doing a family mission's trip next summer (hopefully). The kids will have to do some "investment time" for this to happen. Perhaps it will be to earn some $$ or collecting something that we can give to the mission work.

It is good not to be servant to our debt anymore (other than the house) and instead be able to serve wholeheartedly to the Lord and his work through our local body of believers!