A final food budget...

I think that we have settled on a food budget after our monthly struggle trying to wrestle the budget down to one dollar per person per day. I think that the kinds of sacrifices that we have to make to get there start to interfere with other parts of our value system. For instance, I couldn't shop anywhere other than Aldi, and that store is on the other side of town. No walking and no stopping by on the way home for milk. I read on Ariah's blog that he allowed 100 dollars per person for food in his $1000 monthly budget, and I figure we can cut that in half. Of course, two of our people barely eat, so that has a huge impact. I am capping our food budget at $200 per month, knowing that some months will require more money than others, and I am hoping to average $180. So that's that.

Our weekly bible study is evaluating the spiritual disciplines along with our walk thought the book of Luke, so I am trying to use that as a springboard to be more intentional about this blog. I have to admit, it has been only a little better than a failure so far, but I am still trying to create a rhythm that will lend itself to more disciplined living. I am, sorry to say, a long way off.

I think I will go read a bit and say a prayer. Small steps, you know. Small steps.

Obama, Tornadoes, Wesley, etc., etc...

We didn't get to see Barack Obama last night. We had a babysitter and everything, then these pesky tornadoes came and spoiled our evening out. Since Avery has a new found phobia of tornadoes and all, we felt it would not be fair to have her first experience with one be with the babysitter. Alas, there was no tornado, though the storm that produced one did go directly over our house. Better safe than sorry, but we played it safe and I was still sorry that I didn't get to go to the rally.

I met Dawn during her lunch hour yesterday at the Wesley center downtown and we helped serve free lunch. Well, actually, i did dishes. Then we sat and had lunch with the locals and enjoyed ourselves, and Roman was a big hit. The free lunch is served there the first Friday of every month, so I think that I can make a routine of it and not overwhelm my schedule.

I applied with the School for Lay ministries of the Iowa Annual United Methodist Conference to take coursework to pursue becoming a licensed local pastor. The Pastor/Parish Staff Relations Committee of our church met on Monday, and as far as I know they sent the application on to the charge conference. If I end up going, the course would require four weekends a year for three years and would begin on November 9, so I would be gone that entire weekend. I would leave Friday afternoons and be back Sunday evenings.

I will keep you posted...

Barack or Social Principles...

Tomorrow night, Tuesday, October 2, I have a tough decision to make. Barack Obama will be having an event at the community center less than two blocks from my house. At the same time, our church starts the series "Social Principles of the United Methodist Church."

Decisions, Decisions.

I have been busy posting with my dad on the fireside, but I will have lots of stuff to talk about this week. (not just politics and social principles, either) Stay tuned...

redrawing the map...

I have revamped the list of spiritual disciplines at the right. I got ahold of a copy of "Celebration of Disciplines," by Richard Foster, and have been trying to get more focused and specific. The first four are what Foster would describe as inward disciolines. The next five are the disciplines and the last four are hte outward discilplines, and the last four are the corporate disciplines. I started the Disciple II bible study last night, so I have some extra accountability in the area of study, and I have found a partner to begin fishing with, which I hope to learn as a tool to accomplish several of the other disciplines. I am realizing that the most powerful tool in exercising these disciplines is rhythm (or routine, however you wish to define it for yourself) and I am going to woek on finding my own rhythm in the next few weeks. So much to do, so much to do.

Right now, its off to the park with the kids.