Almost Debt Free. Tips!

It's almost:

Guys. Are you sitting down? Standing up? A littlea both? Eating an apple? I love apples. Galas only please. Running? Laying down? In a zero-gravity plane?

I HAVE NEWS.

$1639.89

Um. Yeah. So close I am tearing up.

$1639.89 left until The Nichols are debt free minus the house!

PRAISE JESUS.

This is a victory. A loooooooong road.

Today I want to tell you that YES you can do this. I'm praying for those reading this with tears of defeat or who's spouse just won't be on the same page. I'm praying for you. You guys can do this. There will be healing.

I can't believe I'm even typing that we are about a month and half or so maybe less of being done with debt. Again, still paying the house and utilities of course.

Can I share what helped us? Reverse-pride. Unbragging. Get proud of the ol' tired stuff you are living with- that's what is going to get you to the end. That's what the "gazelle intensity" that Dave Ramsey teaches- is all about.

Non-Flat TVs and NO Cable:
We were/are proud of the non-flat screen in our living room. Do people want to come watch stuff at our house? No, but we don't have cable either and we are proud of that too!
We know and love our true-blue friends that come to our house, because we literally just sit and talk and enjoy them so much!!!
Getting rid of the cable has helped my soul y'all.
John was ticked at first. I mean I told him that I felt convicted about watching a certain show. If it was on, I'd watch it (It was Real Housewives) and it drained my energy and truly made me ill with all the backstabbery/fake crap.
He did NOT want to release cable. So we babystepped it.
And each month went down a package.
And down another package.
And survived.
Until finally, blammo, goodbye.
Now yes, we have netflix and amazon prime- which I use for my biz, Kindle and we stream shows.
After a yr, John was finally cool with it and now LOVES it. It was all his idea anyway....
I LOVE bragging that I don't have cable. Plus, I got friends that do and they invite me over b/c they are amazing. Thank you 'zing friends.

Cars:
Yo. That's my car with the dings, stains, and I'm rockin an '08 with low mileage. And yeah, huszzby is rollin in the Corolla- '05 baby- "Ol Smokey" with the cigarette burns from the previous owner/renters.
And we like it.
We don't feel oppressed because those bad boys are paid off. We know we are "Living like no one else, so we can live like no one else."
We thank God for our vehicles at all.
Be proud of what some might consider a jalopy and know where it's really taking you to- FREEDOM.

Clothes n' Things:
acquaintance: Hey Jillian, cute shirt!
me: Thanks I got it at KCM boutique for $4. It's Ann Taylor Loft!
acquaintance: Whaaaaa????
If I can't score something $10 and under I don't buy it. $15 and under for dresses. I know that is disgusting to some of you.
This is really easy for me because I really don't like trends anyway.
Now I did just buy a yellow backpack for my camera and it was NOT following these rules. Purses do not fit here, because you will be burned by buying cheap since you use it and abuse it. Also, I am realizing that yellow bags are trendy.
I have loved yellow forever so I am plainly stating that I'm not following a trend here.
But know, that there will ALWAYS be cute shirts and things to buy.

Emeals!!!! Yes. They really do help. I didn't like the fact that I have to pay, but I've acquiesced to the fact that my brain doesn't function this way. It pays to pay them think for me so I can save money and eat better by not going out.

Anyone else care to share???

So we have filled out the form to go see Dave for August. We are awaiting their approval. We hope to be on the Aug. 9th show. We will let everyone know!!!!

Awkward into Awesome

Do you ever just say something that in your mind is a solid joke, but when it leaves the safety zone of your mouthwalls it's just weirdness laced with coffee-breath?

This awkwardness used to happen a lot to me, and you'd think I'd learn and not say anymore jokes. No. I just kept (and still keep on) on saying them and then I feel the immediate after effects of: getting hot-faced, sheepish and sweaty.

Today the feeling of self-awkwardness said hello again... I attempted a joke and then POW! SPLAT! KADORF! the inner thought/disdain popped up in my mind to wreak havoc again, complete with: "Way to go Gillian, way to not make sense and you're sucha weirdo dorkface head. You are awkward!"

But then an awesome thing transpired in my brain, I heard myself thinking:

"Hold up. I'm completely forgiven and fully accepted by Christ. Stop the self-trashing. God's got my reputation and He loves me. I'm not an idiot, and plus, I do NOT know what the other person is thinking!!"

Freedom from self-loathing. Thank you Jesus.

Are you super self-critical so much that you don't even notice it- okay if you don't notice it then how can you answer yes to that question? Let me rephrase, do you constantly have that awkward feeling before, during and after social interactions and feel unworthy?

STOP IT. YOU ARE A PRECIOUS CREATION OF THE LORD! Girl, (Dude?) you need some truth cards.



These cards have been an excellent source of comfort for me in times of awkwardness and shame. I received them from my counselor. I pray they serve you well! Go ahead and print them on cardstock and keep them in your purse. Know the Truth!

A Little Something Real Day Four...

In regards to general appearance and or accessorizing...
Un-Brag Day 4: I'm so cool I can wear 2 glasses at one time. I can drive AND shoot guns simultaneously (especially since I'm Texan). I like to wear welding glasses for fashion. The real story: I've had 10 eye surgeries (oops I just real bragged)- lay off! Everyone laughs at first and then once they try them on the laughing stops and then they want a pair. A smaller pair.
I got these bad boys at the Low Vision Center at University of Houston. That was a fun day. Let's take you outside to see how bad you squint. Oh yeah, you squint a lot you must be extremely light sensitive. ReallY!!?!?! Are those medical findings!?!?! I have stupid cataracts and ectopia lentis silly face!!! It's like taking a snowman to a hot coal walk. Come on!!!
That visit was $300 and I was supposed to be borrowing those glasses, but I think it worked out pretty well... But yeah, I wear my BDG's over my prescription glasses when I'm outside and I don't care what people think. Thanks to pioneers like Rachel Zoe, Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie I'm in style!!

A Little Something Real Day Two...

My Un-Brag for today is how we are livin' right now. A snapshot in time in a real household.
I would like to add that all of our laundry was cleaned in efficient for me, top load washer and ol' school drier - circa 2002. They are white and banged up but get the job done. Actually they are John's and the washer says, "soiled linen" on it on a label we put it on there to be funny many years ago. Back when we were into labeling things for comedic effect. Even our labelmaker is labeled. I digress.
I didn't mean for this to be a frugal living segment, but more of a way to show we all have laundry piling up in our homes from time to time- okay maybe a biweekly basis.
Tomorrow we're going to talk real busyness- activities or maybe real clothing. I haven't decided.

A Little Something Real Day One...

Because I just couldn't stand all the facebook bragging that goes on (myself included), I am going to post something that I like to call "un-bragging" each day this week. In an effort to unite people in their realness. Now here's the deal, bragging on your kids' births, milestones, this and that. All for it. Weddings, engagements, anniversaries- awesome, power to you! Those are things that make facebook great. But the other stuff... Ick. Just my op here.
Not trying to get preachy here. But verse-bragging, glory all to God:
"How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God[a]?"- John 5:44