The Till will tell...

...not the tag

A few weeks ago, I had a different "till will tell"* experience and wanted to share it. Where do I start? I don't know if I ever told you that my husband has better shopping skills than me. Well he really does. In fact, I first learned and saw this "till will tell" firsthand from him...and I keep "forgetting" the lesson and then he teaches me again.

It has been said that people don't fail because they tried but because they gave up. Similarly, at least for me, sometimes I don't get deals on purchases because I give up too quickly. Actually, I feel as if I even give up before I enter the store. If you didn't already know or haven't read one of my prior post, or figured it out yet, I really don't like shopping. Now hold that thought when you look at the cartoon.

As much as I don't like shopping, when I go with my husband he reminds me to be patient and not drop items until we get to the till to confirm whether the price tag is current.  The minute the till "tells" me a favourable price, I sometimes go into overdrive and get into impulse-buying - which in my opinion is worse than not shopping.

The way I see it, no matter what the till "tells", we must exercise self-control. A good price does not mean that it is a good "prize" for you and your family.  

Reference:

* http://sapphire-and-beryl.blogspot.ca/2010/12/till-will-tell.html

Check your connection

A few weeks ago, I noticed something really strange...

#HaveFaithInGod

Oh my - what did I just see...

...and learn?!

I really love learning...by observing and in other ways too.

I had a learning moment the day after I had the "Am I vain?"* experience which I wrote the post on(and I published at a later date- as I'm doing with this one).

Which are you?

An asset or a liability?

This question dropped in my heart when I read this verse in the Complete Jewish Bible.

Proverbs 31:11 - Her husband trusts her from his heart, and she will prove a great asset to him.

Another verse that focuses on the both sides of the "Balance Sheet" is:

Proverbs 12:4 - A worthy wife is her husband’s joy and crown;                                                     the other kind corrodes his strength and tears down everything he does. (TLB)

I know that not all women are married...so we are not focusing on wives here. What I see in these verses is every woman can either be an asset or liability. So by extension, you don't need to be a wife to be an asset. How do I know that? Simple...to be an asset to someone else, you have to first be an asset to yourself.

So what does it mean to be an Asset not a Liability?

As a visual learner, this picture does a good job distinguishing assets from liabilities well for me.  

In other words, assets "add" to you and liabilities "take from" or reduce you.

One quote that has helped me clearly be and remain an asset is  "The value you add comes from the values you hold" - Anonymous

The values we hold show up in different ways. The first indicator of the values you hold is how you treat yourself. Did you just say "Huh?!" Yes, you read me right. People will not treat you any better than you treat yourself. Treat yourself as an Asset: take care of yourself, be intentional about improving yourself each and every day. My advice, take Warren Buffet's advice =>

Another indicator of the values we hold is how we treat others. Assets always treat others as assets. In other words, we treat people with respect. Be a Builder of others - now this could involve correcting them but definitely not corroding them. It has been said that "A rich man in the midst of poor people is a poor man." Likewise, if you invest in yourself and are an Asset in the midst of liabilities, guess what you really are?

You may not be able to do everything for everyone, but you can do something for someone. And when each of us does something for someone, together we have done many things for many people. Be an asset!

On point

Am I vain?

This question came up when 2 very different things happened

After I got ready for the day, one of my children said "You can't wear that to the bus stop." "Why ?!" was my sharp response. He went on to say "It's not 'busstoppy'." "Who will see me in it? " I asked...but didn't push for a response as we needed to head to the bus stop and I'm sure you know that I didn't change.

While on the train, I looked at my dress - which I like - and noticed that it had some "pimples." Of course, that was evidence of the fabric and usage. As I alighted from the train, I wondered some more about what my son said and appreciated the fact that he cared enough to look at me and what I was wearing - something they have learned from their father. However, that's not to say that he had a valid point, if he even had a point. On second thoughts, I said to myself, maybe I should convert this to a "Friday" outfit - whatever that means. As I pondered on that thought, I wondered, "Am I vain* - in caring how others think I look?"

The answer to this question and its irrelevance came quickly - very quickly. As I walked into the office, the receptionist said to me, "I like your dress." At that moment it was obvious that "No" I am not vain and "Yes" it is important to care about I look...and to care a little about how others think I look after all I am God's ambassador. Talk about vindication.

Later that day, something totally different happened. I saw a lady who I saw last week...and get this she was in exactly the same outfit! Jewellery and all. What?! Why? were the two questions that popped in my head. I quickly reprimanded myself. After all, what was my business with that? Yes, what's my business? Was that a trace of being vain? Hmm...

I thought about it some more and decided that I'm definitely not vain - just observant. Guess what I learned from these 2 experiences?

1. Yes, you're right - I'm not vain.
2. It is so easy to be vain if you do not rein your thoughts and actions.

May God, by His Spirit, continue to keep us - I mean me - in check.

Reference:

* Vain - "having or showing an excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth." (Google)