Thinking about the
future…something best done when young
After you reach my age, thinking
about the future should be referred to as emergency planning. To be honest, when I was in my 20’s I was busy trying to make ends meet
while rearing 3 children and going to university. Finances were tight and there was always more
month than money. So thinking about the
future was done with our heads buried in the sand (or the bills). When we reached our 30’s we had teens, 3 of
them, in the house and finances were still iffy. We also tried to make up to our kids for the
lack of money in their early years. Both
of us had grown up in low-to-middle income families with very frugal
parents. We had never travelled or took
real vacations and wanted something different for our kids, so we spent rather
than saved. To be honest, I wasn’t too
concerned about the future because I quite honestly did not expect to be here
that long. Both of my parents had passed
away at age 60 from health related issues, and I figured I would probably be
gone before retirement age arrived. And
beyond that reasoning, I fully expected the Lord to return long before I passed
away. Well, hello retirement…I have
arrived at medicare age and the future looms before me. Now it’s all about emergency plans because
social security won’t be sufficient. So,
what to do?
We are facilitating a small group
study about breaking free from debt and when Pastor asked us to do the class I
had to laugh. Of all people to handle a
class about finances…I would have never chosen us. We are debt free at this point, but we have
very little net worth. We own no home
and our investment income is minimal. We
will be dependent on God, Social
Security, and Medicare for our future.
The only sure thing about our future is God, the other two are seriously
in doubt.
If you are reading this and you
have not planned for the future begin now!
Find a way to put money into a retirement investment (preferably tax
sheltered). Set aside some part of your
income each month in savings for emergencies along the way. So, words of wisdom learned from a life lived
on a shoe string and learning the hard way:
Invest in your future, teach your
children to save and invest, and invest in the Kingdom of God. Don’t think you have to keep up financial
appearances in public; as much as possible live debt free. Take time to plan for the future so that when
you reach retirement age you don’t have to do emergency planning.
God has been good to us and kept
us through the years and I have no doubt that He will continue but looking into
the future right now is not pleasant. I
cannot see what God has ahead for our provision and I wish that we had found a
way to hang onto more of the money when we had it. Reaching age (?) without a plan can
contribute to worried dreams that keep you awake at night.
Ps 37:25 I have been young, and
now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging
bread. KJV
Matt 6:20 But lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal:
KJV
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