Counting my Blessings (2007)

I received my class load for the university today. 4 students, 2 of which are taking hour long lessons, so it’s really like having 6 students. And it was like I could breathe a great big sigh of relief.

Last semester, the university lowered my husband’s pay and almost cut me because they had hired a few other adjuncts with more advanced degrees. In the end, they gave me two 1/2 hours to teach, but it wasn’t much money and I was terrified that they really would cut me this semester. As you can see, they didn’t and I am incredibly blessed. My pay this semester will be triple from what it was last semester. And that means it’s easier to simplify because I don’t need to be hunting for other students from whom I have to demand money or wonder if they’ll quit after one month. The one nice thing about teaching at the University is my paychecks are consistent, whether or not the students show up.

You all know we are not rich. A school teacher’s salary in Utah is not much. We supplement as best we can with my students and my husband’s extra university class, but the problem with my students is they can’t totally be counted on. People quit here and there, especially in January when money is tight. People forget to pay, and although I’m learning, I have a hard time demanding a check. So, budgeting is a tiny bit difficult because I never know exactly how much I’ll be making from month to month.

But here’s where the blessings of paying our tithing come in. It’s almost as if it doesn’t really matter what happens because we’re always taken care of. If I lose a student, the money either doesn’t seem to be needed, shows up some other way (like through an unexpected photo shoot), or my husband will get a private trumpet student.

Around Thanksgiving time he got a really large check due to a couple extra bonuses that were on it. We were out of town, so I didn’t pay the tithing that very Sunday and of course I forgot after I got home, until I was balancing the account and realized my omission. Because it was such a huge check, the tithing amount was also bigger than normal and I didn’t really have enough money to cover it and still buy groceries (we used most of that bonus check to pay for car repairs). But, I knew I wasn’t going to have the money at all if I waited any longer, so I wrote out the check and said a little prayer. Not a minute later my mom IM’d me and said she’d felt prompted to put some money in my bank account and it just happened to be enough to pay for groceries that week. Talk about the Lord saying “thank you for keeping this commandment” instantly!

So I find myself being incredibly grateful today for the blessings that paying tithing can bring us. I seriously don’t know how we make it sometimes. If you looked at the state of our bank account, or worse, the cash flow forecast in Microsoft Money you would probably laugh at the absurdity of it all. Tithing often seems like a huge sacrifice, but honestly, I don’t think we can afford not to pay it.

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Misty

We deleted our cash flow chart for that very same reason. We’ve always known we would get by, mainly through blessings, that I for one, know I don’t usually deserve. Our Father In Heaven looks out for us kids, as we’d look out for our own, protecting in a way, that no other could.

Hilary

As spencer would say
“Amen brother, amen” (although I would substitute Sister — he almost always says brother).

Deb

Yep – learning that one here too! Isn’t it amazing how Heavenly Father looks after us all and how the blessings pour out to help and comfort us when we need them most!

Lacey

You can send my checking account number to your mom any day! Wink! Wink! What a blessing tithing is..I may never hit it rich but the reasurance that my Heavenly Father will bless us for doing what is right is better than money!

Anne-Marie

So so true. I think it’s better sometimes when we don’t write our finances down on paper, because I really can’t figure it out either. I just know it’s from tithing. And, thank you for the well wishes. I’ll happily take any pink-laden donations should they be necessary.

Lei

Yeah, the evil cash flow chart can be so deceiving… I’m so glad you are feeling the blessings that come from paying an honest tithe! Good for you.

Tina

I love the last line of your post, I say it to myself every time I write a tithing check- “I can’t afford not to pay it”.

Jenn Toon

Yea for the tithing! Faith goes hand in hand too and you obviously have that as well. You will always be blessed!

swampbaby

Thanks for your testimony!