Debt Snowball

Debt Snowball in Action

I have been selling some things on eBay recently and was able to use the extra money I made to pay off my JC Penney account today. To make it a little sweeter I took a pair of scissors with so after I had written out my check and the lady at the register finished processing the check I cut-up the credit card in front of everyone at the counter. I did this with a BIG smile on my face and said 'I have been ready to do this for months and it sure feels good'.

With Penney's down the next card to go is Best Buy which with added what I was paying normally on Penney's to Best Buy's payment will take 2 months to clear it off the books. I do have some more things to list on eBay so if they sell it could be less than 2 months to knock Best Buy off the books.

Life Is Precious

Life Is Precious

Life is precious, Life is Beautiful,
Everyday a gift, Every person a treasure.
Life is fleeting, Life is fragile,
So live each day as the gift that it is.

Life is Precious, Life is Beautiful,
Everyday a chance to show someone you love them
Life is fleeting, Life is fragile,
So live each day as the gift that it is.

Even when the raindrops fall,
beyond the clouds the sun is rising
Even when the trees are bare,
the bud is there prepare to bloom.

Life is precious, Life is Beautiful,
Everyday a gift, Every person a treasure.
Life is fleeting, Life is fragile,
So live each day as the gift that it is.
So live each day as the gift that it is (Life is Precious)

by Ruth Elaine Schram

Nothing can bring a tear to my eyes faster than the combination of a great song sung by the pure voices of a middle school choir. "Life is Precious" is a piece I have done before with my middle school choir and I pulled it out over the winter break thinking it would be a piece we could use for sight reading when we came back in January. I did not realize how much the students would fall in love with it this year or because of some life circumstances how much the words would speak to me.

Since we have started working on this piece a good friends husband has died in a helicopter crash, another friend has lost her mother, and a third friends dad has had his leg amputated and is still in the hospital.

I learned how precious and fleeting life is 22 years ago after having lunch with my dad not realizing that would be the last time I would see him alive as he was murder in his office a few hours later. I have learned to live each day as a gift and not take people for granted especially family.

Today I was thankful for a wonderful group of middle school students and a composer that gave us such a wonderful piece of music to sing.

I'd encourage you to Check out Ruth Elaine Schram's Web Site to see more music she has to offer

Quote of the Day

There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.

Peter F. Drucker

"The Total Money Makeover" Review

"The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey

If you will live like no one else,
later you can LIVE like no one else.

Build up your money muscles with America's favorite finance coach.

Okay, folks, do you want to turn those fat and flabby expenses into well-toned budget? Do you want to transform your sad and skinny little bank account into a bulked-up cash machine? Then get with the program, people. There's one sure way to whip your finances into shape, and that's with "The Total Money Makeover!"

This is from the back of the dust jacket of the book and if are thinking it reads more like a self help book than a book on finances well I would agree. The total money makeover reads more like a self help book than your typical book on finance. But that is one of the appeals of this book. You don't get so bogged down in technical jargon like you do in some financial books that you just want throw the book out the window.

The book is filled with stories of other peoples success. How they learned how to get control of their finances and tame the debt beast. The first few chapters cover Debt Myths and Money Myths along with the issue of why we should not try and keep up with the Joneses.

Next Dave covers what he calls his seven step to getting out of debt and financial peace.

1. $1,000 to start an emergency fund - first step is to save $1,000 in an emergency fund because rainy days will come

2. Debt Snowball - Pay off all Debt using the Debt Snowball - pay off the smallest debt first, pay minimum on all accounts expect what you own least amount to and pay as much to that account as possible until paid off - then apply what you have spent on that account to next smallest account

3. 3 to 6 months of expenses in emergency savings - after paying off all debts built emergency savings

4. Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-Tax retirement fund

5. College funding for children

6. Pay off your house early

7. Build wealth and give


If you are looking for a technical guide on how to invest money this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a motivating book on how to get out of debt and stay out of debt in today's World this is the book you want to pick up and read. Dave Ramsey also has a radio show and is well respected in the financial world. He has helped millions of people secede with getting out of debt. I wish I had been turned on to this book 3 years ago when I started working on my debt situation because I think I would be out of debt by know. I changed the way I was paying off my debts when I started reading this book and have shaved off several months on my debt being cleared. So if you are living in Debt pick up this book and give Dave a try.

Concert Etiquette

Concert Etiquette

While performers do appreciate that you have attended their concerts and hope that you enjoy the performance. Your enjoyment of the performance as well as others is directly impacted by each audience members concert etiquette or behavior.

This was especially highlighted to me last night as I attended the California Band Directors Association All-State Band Junior High Concerts in Fresno. Sitting in the row in front of me was a family with a young child about 3 years old. This child talk, wiggled in his seat, clapped his hands during performances, and tried handing me his gum for than once. It was such a distraction that in between songs during the second bands performance my friend and I got up out of our seats and moved to different seats.

So I would like to list a few basic guidelines for good concert etiquette;

1. Arrive on Time

• If you arrive late please enter quietly between selections from the rear of the hall

2. Turn off Cell Phone and Pagers

3. Small Children

• Small children and infants, especially, have a difficult time sitting quietly in formal concerts. It is probably best to leave them at home.
• If you MUST bring a small child or infant, please sit at the rear of the hall so that a quick, easy and discreet exit may be made if/when necessary. and discreet exit may be made if/when necessary.

4. Do Not Exit the Concert Until Intermission Unless there is an Emergency

5. Applause

• Hold applause until the end of multi-movement works
• This is a concert not a sport event no yelling, whistle or loud cheering save that for the sport arena.
  

The Blind Side

The Blind Side

Teenager Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is surviving on his own, virtually homeless, when he is spotted on the street by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock). Learning that the young man is one of her daughter's classmates, Leigh Anne insists that Michael - wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter - come out of the cold. Without a moment's hesitation, she invites him to stay at the Tuohy home for the night. What starts out as a gesture of kindness turns into something more as Michael becomes part of the Tuohy family despite the differences in their backgrounds.

Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. And as the family helps Michael fulfill his potential, both on and off the football field, Michael's presence in the Tuohys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own.

Sandra Bullock has been nominated for her first Oscar for her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy in the Blind Side and I for one hope she wins as she did a fabulous job in her role in this film. This has been my favorite movie in the last few years. It is due to be released on DVD in March and for me it is a must have for my DVD collection.

This team is your family and you have to protect them…
Tony is your quarterback. You protect his blind side.
When you look at him think of me. How you have my back.
Leigh Anne Tuohy in “The Blind Side”

Quote of the Day

Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.

Mark Twain

If You Could See Me Now

If You Could See Me Now

Our prayers have all been answered.

I finally arrived.

The healing that had been delayed has now been realized.

No one's in a hurry.

There's no schedule to keep.

We're all enjoying Jesus, just sitting at His feet.

If you could see me now, I'm walking streets of gold.

If you could see me now, I'm standing tall and whole.

If you could see me now, you'd know I've seen His face.

If you could see me now, you'd know the pain is erased.

You wouldn't want me to ever leave this place,

If you could only see me now.

My light and temporary trials have worked out for my good,

To know it brought Him glory when I misunderstood.

Though we've had our sorrows, they never can compare.

What Jesus has in store for us, no language can ever share.

If you could see me now, I'm walking streets of gold.

If you could see me now, I'm standing tall and whole.

If you could see me now, you'd know I've seen His face.

If you could see me now, you'd know the pain is erased.

You wouldn't want me to ever leave this place,

If you could only see me now.

If you could only see me now.

The song lyrics above were written by Kim Noblitt in 1992. My favorite line is "If you could see me now, you'd know the pain is erased." What a great promise we have in Christ. If we believe in Him that when this life ends in Heaven we face an eternity that is pain free. I was introduced to this song when teaching by a student that was dying from Leukemia and he wanted this song to be performed at his funeral as an encouragement to those left behind that he was going on to a better place so we should not be sad for him. When someone dies we are sadden because of our lose because we will never get to talk with that person again in this world. But if the person was suffering and they know the Lord then they are going on to a better place they have just left their earthly bodies behind and we can take comfort in this fact and know they are walking the streets of gold.

Quote of the Day

We too often love things and use people when we should be using things and loving people.

-Reuel L. Howe

Peace be with you

Peace

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
John 14:27

What is this peace this peace that passes all understanding? Why is it that some people experience and others never seem to experience it?

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!"
John 16:33

As part of the Mass they say this to each other "peace be with you and also with you" why? Again what is this peace thing really all about, why is it so important and how do we know that God really imparts it to us in times of need?

I experienced God's true Peace that passes all understanding the day my mother died. When I got up that day I had this feeling that I should call in sick and spend the day with my mother but as a music teacher at a Catholic school and the fact that we had a student mass that day I knew I need to be at school to lead the choir for mass that more so off to school I went. I don't remember anything about mass that morning. As soon as mass was over and I was walking back to the school I again had the feeling I should leave but I resisted the feeling and went on to teach my next class. Well before that class was over I received a phone call telling me I needed to come to the rehab center that my mother was at as soon as possible. The school canceled the rest of my classes that day and off I went.

When I arrived the nurse said there was not much they could do the doctor had been called but it was only a matter of time my mother was dying. While yes I was sad because here I was about to lose my mother at the same time it was like I was being held up by some invisible force. It is hard to put into exact words but I can say without a doubt that it must have been that Peace that passes all understand. I don't think anyone can fully describe it unless they have experienced.

When my dad was killed I did not believe in God I mean I had gone to church off and on for many years. But it was all head knowledge not heart knowledge. My fathers death almost lead to my own death. I'm lucky I did not kill anyone else in the path of my destructive ways. But thankfully I had some very good friends that prayed for many years for me and I finally woke and opened my heart. The reward is Eternity - the peace well that is just one of the major bonuses.

So in closes let me just say to

"Peace be with you"

My Seven Baby Steps Journey to Finacial Peace

The Seven Baby Steps

As I have noted is several previous posts I have been reading Dave Ramsey's 'Total Money Makeover'. In this book and on his web site he lists what he call's seven baby steps to financial peace. I will on occasion post updates on my personal progress and journey to along this path. The up's and down's and personal feelings as to whether this is a valuable plan to follow or not in my opinion along the way to freedom from the debt monster.

Baby Step 1. $1,000 to start an emergency fund - This fund is for emergency that life throws our way, such as the water pump goes out on the car or the dryer goes out. This is not to be used for vacations or wants. When I started on Dave Ramsey's program I had already been working hard for months to get out of debt and was over paying on several credit cards but I did not have an emergency fund so I dropped back to making just minimum payments on all credit cards so I could put $1,000 into an emergency fund which took a little over a month. Then went back to paying extra on the credit cards.

Baby Step 2. Paying off all Debt using the Debt Snowball - List all debts in order from smallest to highest. Pay the minimum amount due on all but the smallest and pay the maximum you can on that one. Once it is payed off apply that to the next smallest amount and so on until all debt is payed off. Provided no major emergency's come up I will be out of debt by the end of 2010. It is at that point I will be ready to start step 3.

Baby Step 3. 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings - You need to have 3 to 6 months in savings in case of emergency. Again a trip to Cancun is not an emergency or in my case a 4 star hotel at Comic Con is not an emergency. I will be ready so to start this step and I look forward to the peace it will bring to my life.

I will cover Steps 4 - 7 later when I'm ready to hit those steps but if you want more information on these steps know then please head on over to Dave Ramsey's Web Site for more information.

Not On The Test

I ran across this song last year just before we started testing and it struck a chord with me. As a music educator I'm blessed that I teach in a school district that has a school board that believes in having a music program available for students in our schools. Many districts around the state of California have being cutting music programs in recent years with the cut backs in funding for education. One reason, well you will not find any music questions on state tests. Even though NCLB does list the arts as one of its core subject areas because it's not on the test it is easy to cut from a program when budgets get tight.

Not On The Test

by John Forster & Tom Chapin

Go on to sleep now, third grader of mine.
The test is tomorrow but you'll do just fine.
It's reading and math, forget all the rest.
You don't need to know what is not on the test.

Each box that you mark on each test that you take,
Remember your teachers, their jobs are at stake.
Your score is their score, but don't get all stressed.
They'd never teach anything not on the test.

The School Board is faced with no child left behind
With rules but no funding, they’re caught in a bind.
So music and art and the things you love best
Are not in your school ‘cause they’re not on the test.

Sleep, sleep, and as you progress
You’ll learn there’s a lot that is not on the test.

Debate is a skill that is useful to know,
Unless you’re in Congress or talk radio,
Where shouting and spouting and spewing are blessed
'Cause rational discourse was not on the test.

Thinking's important. It's good to know how.
And someday you'll learn to but someday's not now.
Go on to sleep, now. You need your rest.
Don't think about thinking. It's not on the test.


Go to Tom Chapin's Web Site to see the video of the Not on the Test

A Time for Everything

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Quote of the Day

"The three hardest tasks in the world are neither physical feats

nor intellectual achievements, but moral acts:

1) To return love for hate;

2) To include the excluded; and

3) To say 'I was wrong.'"

Ernst Heinrich Haeckel

BIBLE = Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth

"The Challenge of Radical Love!"

The following are my sermon notes from today's sermon by Pastor Wayne Putman at the Exeter Church of God.

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of Himself to us. Love like that! -- Ephesians 5:1-2 Message

Agape love is a choice I make through the actions I take.

Choose to respond peacefully -

You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'If an eye is injured the eye of the person who did it. If a tooth gets knocked out the tooth of the person who did it.' But I say, don't resist an evil person!If you are slapped on the right cheek, turn the other, too. -- Matthew 5:38-39 NLT

Choose to forgive freely -

If you forgive others the wrongs they have done to you, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive the wrongs you have done. -- Matthew 6:14-15 TEV

Choose to view others gracefully -

Do not judge others, so that God will not judge you, for God will judge you in the same way you judge others, and He will apply to you the same rules you apply to others. Matthew 7:1-2 TEV

Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get. Matthew 7:12 Msg

The title of today's blog post is a saying I heard a few years ago from a friend about the Bible. That the Bible is really our basic instructions before leaving Earth. I'm going to be using this title for blogs from time to time when I hear a sermon I like and decide to post the notes I take from the sermon of the day.

Edge of Darkness

"Edge of Darkness" is an emotionally charged thriller set at the intersection of politics and big business. Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) is a veteran homicide detective for the Boston Police Department and a single father. When his only child, twenty-four year-old Emma (Bojana Novakovic), is murdered on the steps of his home, everyone assumes that he was the target. But he soon suspects otherwise, and embarks on a mission to find out about his daughter's secret life and her killing. His investigation leads him into a dangerous, looking glass world of corporate cover-ups, government collusion and murder - and to shadowy government operative Darius Jedburgh (Ray Winstone), who has been sent in to clean up the evidence. Craven's solitary search for answers about his daughter's death transforms into an odyssey of emotional discovery and redemption.

While I did enjoy Mel Gibson's acting in the film but I found the story weak. This is a very violent film and at times I felt like they went out of their way for the shock value with the violence. Revenge is the dominant theme of this film with Gibson playing a renegade cop. But with a story that just rambles around at times and an ending that does not make much sense for the character of Jedburgh I can only give this film 2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Credit and Debt

The following is from Dave Ramsey's "The Total Money Make Over" workbook. Chapter 3: Debt is not a tool: Debt Myths

1. In 1910, the Sears catalog stated, "Buying on credit is folly." Nearly a hundred years later, Sears now makes more money on the interest paid on its credit-card accounts than it does on the sale of merchandise.
2. The founder of JC Penney department stores was a man nicknamed James "Cash" Penney because he personally detested the use of debt or making time payments. Today, Penney's makes millions each year on their customers who use plastic.
3. Henry Ford thought debt was a lazy man's method of purchasing items. As a result of Ford's belief, the Ford Motor Company did not offer financing plans until ten years after General Motors offered them. Today, however, Ford Motor Credit is one of the most profitable divisions of Ford Motor's operations.
4. Proverbs 22:7 says, "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."
5. If you want to know how to get and stay skinny, talk to skinny people. If you want to know how wealthy people get and stay wealthy, talk to wealthy people.

Barring any unexpected emergency I will be completely out of debt by following Dave Ramsey's plan by the end of 2010. This after having flounder for years with trying to get out of debt on my own. It has just taken a plan and focused hard work. http://www.daveramsey.com/

Comfort Food

Our senses such smell and taste can trigger memories both good and bad. On a recent trip to Fresno, CA I stopped at the local Chick-fil-A for lunch. When I walked in the door the smell brought back memories of my days in high school working at a local mall in Jacksonville, Fl. I worked at the McDonald's in the mall at the food court but there was also a Chick-fil-A in the same food court. Growing up in the South I ate lots of chicken as a kid and there are many good memories associated with family meals of chicken.

So when I ordered the other day I ordered my favorite meal from my youth and as I sat enjoying my food I thought of days gone by. I reminisced about my parents who are no longer alive, friends that have passed away, places I have gone and school days gone by. I have moved away from the South and you may be able to take the girl out of the South but you can't fully take the South out of the girl. While Chick-fil-A is not like sitting at home and having a true Southern cooked meal it did bring back loads of memories of good times from days gone by so for me Chick-fil-A will always be a comfort food. As the cow says...

Eat Mor Chikin

Quote of the Day

Johann von Goethe:

"Treat people as if they were what they should be, and you help them become what they are capable of becoming." When dealing with dishonorable people it's easy but wrong to resort to:"Do unto others before they do unto you." Or "Do unto others as they have done unto you." Treating bad people well can ...help them become better but it also shows you are better.

Florida Gators

Gators pick up Nation's Top Class

The uncertainty of the status of Florida coach Urban Meyer was not enough to keep the Gators from landing the top recruiting class of the nation by the end of signing day on February 3rd.

Urban Meyer and Florida signed a recruiting class for the ages, with 17 players from the ESPNU 150, including 11 in the top 50. The Gators snagged four five-star players — including the nation’s top player, Ronald Powell.

“It’s the best defensive recruiting class I’ve seen in the 10 years that I’ve been doing this,” said Mike Farrell, Rivals.com’s national recruiting analyst.

Meyer is expected to begin his delayed leave of absence within the next several days, but he said he still isn’t sure how much time he will take off.

For a full list of Florida recruits check out ESPNU

Total Money Makeover

"Total Money Make Over" by Dave Ramsey

I started working on a plan several years ago to get myself out of debt. Things have been going pretty well over the last 3 years and I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Recently a friend told me about Dave Ramsey and his book "The Total Money Make Over". This past Christmas I was give a gift card to Borders and decided to purchase Dave's book with my gift card. I have read a little more than half of the book and I wish someone had told me about this book 3 years ago when I first started working on getting out of debt because there is no doubt in my mind if I had started on Dave plan 3 years ago I would be out of debt at this point. However I have made some changes in my debt management plan and I'm already seeing some progress in my get out of debt plan.

The following are a few notes I have take from the book as I have gone along so far;

• Walgreens, Cisco, Microsoft and Harley-Davidson are run debt-free
• Sears now makes more money on credit than on teh sale of merchandise
• Debt is the symptom of over spending and undersaving
• Studies show that the zip codes that spend 4x's what anyone else does on lottery tickets are those in lower - income parts of town.
• "A budget is people telling their money where to go instead of wondering where it went" John Maxwell
• Cash enables you to say no to yourself
• Ignorance is not lack of intelligence; it is lack of know how
• Continuing to do the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity
• "You can get anywhere if you simply go one step at a time"
  

Middle School Choral Gems Part II

A Few Recommended Middle School Choral Gems Part II...

Yesterday I posted a few unison gems for Middle School choir and today I listing a few two-part gems. These are pieces I have done with my young middle school choir in the last few years and they have all worked very well.

Title	Composer/Arranger	Publisher
All Things Bright and Beautiful	John Rutter	Hinshaw
Angels Watchin' Over Me	Julie Wheeler	BriLee
Ave Verum	Mozart/Eilers	Jenson
Erie Canal, The	DeCormier	Lawson-Gould
Fairest Lord Jesus	Gilbert Martin	Hinshaw
Follow the Drinking Gourd	Valerie Crescenz	BriLee
Music Alone Shall Live	Carlos Lopez	BriLee
Song of Peace/Dona Nobis Pacem	Donnelly/Strid	Alfred Choral
The Gospel Train	Vicki Tucker Courtney	BriLee