Today after school I had only one child at home for awhile. He asked me “Why do you and dad work so much?”
I saw an opportunity. I told him that Dad and I made some stupid choices in the past. We had loans for things and bought things on credit cards that we didn’t need. And we’ve been working on paying those things off. Next is the house.
I told him how our wish is that he and his siblings grow up and never borrow a dime from anyone. And that we want to be in a position to help them with that. They are learning things and will learn things that Dad and I didn’t know.
Adult numbers can be hard to grasp. So I told him to imagine that he received $500 a month for his work. What if he had to pay $300 for his house. His eyes were deep in thought at the $200 left. I reminded him, he would have to pay for food, clothes, and gas with that $200. He looked discouraged. I asked him to then think how much more he could do if his house was paid for and he got to keep all of the $500 every month.
It clicked. He got it. He was already calculating. He asked if we are going to be able to do that in time for his oldest sister who would be done with school in three years. I told him we sure we were going to try!
I told him, we are working so hard for all of us. We are working to change our family with freedom. I asked him what he thought of with the word slave. He asked, “like slavery”? I said: yes, like slavery, with chains around you. The borrower is slave to the lender. And we don’t want those chains anymore for our family.
Tonight I am thankful for this chance to change! This road seems long at times. And there are days I dream of a 40-hour work week. But sitting on the floor this afternoon talking to my boy . . . that was it . . . that is our motivation! When the road seems long, we look at how far we’ve come and we focus on why we are doing what we are doing!
Bug's Bright Side 