Time, money and nerdiness

I am starting a new diet; a money diet.  I am going to try to budget my spending to about $400. 00 to $500.00 per. month.  I believe I can do it.  I need very little and generally I am not a big spender.  I may "want" a lot, but really don't need all the material things that other people spend their nickels and dimes on.  With a few exceptions, such as home owners and auto insurance when due, I can budget for those, too.  As Audrey used to say,  I can be very "poveriticle"  when I wish to be.  That is her word, not mine...so don't look for proper spelling as she coined the word years ago.

$400.00 to $500.00 dollars per month doesn't sound like a lot of money to live on monthly...and it isn't.  In a sense I prepared for austerity when I retired by paying of all my debts, knowing that my income would be a whole lot less when on Social Security.  Even so, there are a lot of people that do not have $$ to budget or put food on the table.

You may think that I have to budget, but I do so because I can.  There are better places to spend what money I do have...than to eat out a lot or on all of what modern culture dictates for us to buy and consume.  I don't need the latest phone that is advertised or a new car.  My basic phone and eight year old van work just fine.  I don't buy a lot of cloths as I am hard to fit and hate the styles.  There are many ways to reduce expenditures and use my money for more important issues.  If I can...you can.  Try it. 

To clarify this I do need to say that budgeting can and will work for many people, but it is not an overall blanket suggestion for ALL people or readers of this post.  What works for me may well be a hardship for many.

 MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION

 

"Magnificent Obsession" is the title of an old love movie that came out around 1954.  In a sense the title is also 'My Love Story" as well.  For I go to bed thinking about God, get up thinking about God and I am thinking about God "in between."  You could say that I have an obsession in all things God related...'though I don't really think so.  I make too many mistakes throughout the days; putting my foot in my mouth too often, at the wrong time, before the wrong people.  In essence I have an over sized vocal orifice with too  many opinions and too little discernment for what comes forth unbidden.  However, it does not keep me from thinking about God.

 

I am sure that my family, friends, acquaintances and even enemies(we all have them)think of ME as a nerd...religious nut case, or yes, obsessed.  I am not obsessed by organized religions or institution, cults or other persuasions for the Bible tells us that "In my father's house there are many mansion(rooms)."  The Vatican 11 Documents also tell us that any religion of the one God holds a part of the truth as our new Pope Frances seems to clarify that for us as well.  I am a Catholic and will die a Catholic, but like the Pope remember, "Judge not, lest you be judged."

 

SAINTHOOD

 

I desire sainthood.  You should, too.  Desire it not for vanity, self-glorification or recognition, but because the road to such a grace, while most often a rocky road, will bring you into closer communication/union, with our Lord.  There are so many saints that have NOT found fame or glory or sought after it, but only for a quiet certitude and serenity in loving and doing the Lord's will.  That is what I pray for and what I hope that any reader of this missive will pray for...for me.


I hope this all makes sense to you, the reader.  It is not easy for me to put my thoughts into words and have them it come out they way I feel.  Once I was told by someone that I admired and respected, that I was "sanguine," a person that doesn't care.  It was a long time ago; it hurt then and hurts to this day.  I sucked it up and put on my bland face and offered no defense.  Sometimes we just have to suck it up and carry on.  It brings me back to the Pope who said, "Who
 am I to judge?"

END