Live Like No One Else So You Can Give Like No One Else!

This evening after leaving our final FPU class, I found an email waiting for me. It exemplifies the theme of giving, so I thought I'd share it with you. I don't know who authored the message, but it will give you the warm and fuzzy feeling we laughed about in class. Read on...

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight.

'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

I fly frequently, and I always look for an opportunity to share Jesus with someone. I wondered who it might be this time because there were empty seats all around me. Not much of a chance to talk to anyone.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me.

'This is more like it! OK, Lord, which one will it be? Who needs to hear about you?'

I decided to start a conversation. Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. 'Chicago--to Great Lakes Base. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Iraq.'

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached Chicago, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time. As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to Chicago.' His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I was hungry, but could not bring myself to eat in front of them. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.'

She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq. It's almost like you are doing it for him' Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated.

I Forgot About Me! Overwhelmed by her emotional response, I returned to my seat.

She asked, 'Which do you like best--beef or chicken?'

'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked.

She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. 'This is your thanks.' Now I felt guilty--I had dinner and the soldiers had only a sack lunch.

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me.

'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said, 'I want to shake your hand.'

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.'

I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed in Chicago I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals.

It seemed so little.....

Not Quitting Can Really Pay Off...Literally!

The numbers are in...and they are staggering. After 12 weeks you have successfully paid off

$149,109 and saved $89,052

That is absolutely amazing. You guys totally rock! Don't forget that we will do this next week also after the final lesson. Also the Taco man is ready for FPU Graduation on Sunday 8/31. Bring a friend. We have some exciting debt free announcements scheduled for that day as well as great food. If you need directions to the church location, please go to www.MissionPointeChino.org for more information. You can also call me anytime (909) 539-3484

This is Why You Do This!

Following Dave's Baby Steps is hard. After 10 weeks of taking this course, you surely have felt the impact by now. Starting your second budget and trying to decide if this is really worth it or not is something that I am sure all of you are experiencing. So the timing of this email that I received the other day could not have been better planned.

Here it is from Shannon, an FPU Graduate with exciting news.

Hi Alex, BIG BIG NEWS, IT'S OFFICIAL WE ARE DEBT FREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Extreme Home Makeover Home in Forclosure!

Wow! Give someone a paid fore $450,000 home and see what happens! This is why financial counseling is so important. 60% of lotto winners are bankrupt in 5 years.

To see the article just click on this blog's title or go to:

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/16980412/detail.html

Very Sad. . .

Advantages of FPU

Taking this class has provided all of us with tools to gain control of our finances and it's given us a measure of peace in knowing that we're doing our best to manage our money in a way that's pleasing to God. I would venture a guess that each of us, having gone through our own financial struggles, is sympathetic to others who are in financial distress. We can't always reach into our own wallets, but now we have another way to help, don't we? We can introduce others to FPU so they can learn how to improve their own situations. To me, it's similar to the axiom where you don't just give a man a fish; you teach him how to fish.

At first when we mentioned to others that we were taking a financial class, people looked at us a little oddly. Nobody wants to admit that they need help with their financial situation! We've begun stressing that the class affirms some of the common sense things we've all done to manage our money, but it goes further than that and teaches us how to think from a different perspective, especially in areas where our knowledge is more limited. It's worth the effort to tell others so they have the chance to learn and grow, too.

Another advantage is in having the chance to meet so many new people. Jim and I are both enjoying every aspect of the class! (I know he'll be happy to rejoin the class when he returns from his business trip!)

When is a Good Deal Too Good?

Tom sent this to me. Nice timing Tom...

When Is a Good Deal Too Good?
By Michael Masterson
When negotiating a deal, how hard should you push for an advantage? Should you play the competition game and get as much as you can? Or should you "take care of" the other guy, even if he isn't taking care of himself?
What should you do if you discover a benefit or cost in the deal that the other guy isn't aware of? Do you bring it up? Or figure "If he's too stupid to notice, he doesn't deserve to find out."
If your resources and position in the marketplace give you a substantial negotiating position over the other guy - if he needs you more than you need him - should you take advantage of it?
Let's answer these questions today.
I do business with a lot of very accomplished businesspeople - entrepreneurs and executives who understand how business really works. They have learned the importance of going after new business, and have developed the personal skills to apply themselves aggressively toward that end.
Some of these people, however, allow this virtue to become a vice. When they negotiate deals, they focus all their energy on themselves and their goals. If they think of the other guy at all, it is only to discover a weakness they can take advantage of.
These guys can be great family men and loyal friends - but when it comes to doing business, they believe in taking care of Number One. And for them, because of the way they see business, taking care of Number One means caring little or nothing about the other guy.
Some of these guys are just plain evil. They like screwing people and take pleasure from giving others pain. But many more see themselves as just and moral but with a "realistic" view of the business world. For this group - let's call them the self-righteous sharks - business is an "either-or" proposition: "Either I get the gold or he does."
Self-righteous sharks tend to act selfishly in all facets of their business life - in sharing information, in deciding at whose office a meeting will be held, in determining who sits where at a business dinner, etc.

Networking

I'm enjoying the FPU classes! Watching everyone learn together, share their stories, laugh, and offer encouragement to one another is as beneficial as watching Dave's videos. We're on a journey together, aren't we?

Since Alex encouraged us to network through the use of the FPU blog, I'm going to ask you all to keep me in mind if you know of any job openings. While I haven't worked outside my home in years, I have worked on projects from my home computer and actually prefer that flexibility. I am, however, perfectly willing to go out to work. I've built a sales training manual, developed a hyperlinked spreadsheet that provided easily accessible product information for a sales team, and have also put together PowerPoint presentations and monthly newsletters. I enjoy researching via the Internet. If I don't know how to use software or perform a particular function within it, I work at it until I learn it. Someone recently challenged me to learn a web design software program and I've just managed to upload a simple (and not quite complete) website onto the Internet. I enjoy writing, particularly to bring laughter to someone's day and to encourage others in their walk with Christ. I'm currently helping to build and administrate a prayer ministry at our church and also am a co-leader of a small group.

If you know of a way for me to use these skills, please advise! Thanks for your consideration!

Blessings,

Debbie