Getting What You Ask For

Some time last week, I wrote of my financial woe-of-the-moment. Within hours, I sat down with my finances, juggled things around and knew I could make it work. No problem.

That evening, one of my daycare parents paid me an amount that was outstanding. Add that amount to the juggled books and I was 'legally' in the black.

The very same evening, I received two emails (sent within an hour of each other) with an offer of payment for our upcoming family reunion. My financial shortage had nothing to do with our reservation for our reunion (in fact, if I didn't have a problem with co-mingling my funds with reunion funds, the amount I have been overpaid there would have covered my personal shortage, with exactly $10.00 to spare).

I smiled as I thought how 'prayers are answered' in so very many ways. Most of which, we don't even realize.

In the din of my Daycare Days, I have been quietly reflecting on 'where I am at'.

I have questioned my wisdom of 'turning away' children who threaten the status quo around here. How in the world can I do this, when I am struggling with balancing my budget? Yet I have done so, and it has all worked out in the end.

Yesterday, I sat back and watched my children at play. They were not conscious of my presence, yet they followed our 'rules of fairness for all' without me standing guard. This was not the case 'a year ago'. My hard decision (asking one family to leave) was definitely the right one. We were headed down a road of anarchy and the days were getting worse instead of better.

Financially, I could not afford to lose the income that family paid me. But psychologically, I could not afford to keep them. Money is not everything. Life has taught me that over and over (and over) again. So when the question becomes one of 'Peace of Mind' verses 'Financial Gain', I choose peace of mind. Every time.

With this strategy, I will never become rich. But then again, what is rich?

I am wealthy in personal satisfaction and knowing that I am exactly where I choose to be. I am rich in the ways I feel and live my life. I am content in every sense of the word. I sleep at night, I wake up every morning with a light heart. The only boss I have to please is 'me' and I can usually talk 'her' down when she becomes too unreasonable.

My wages are sufficient to meet my needs. Unexpected expenses are (often) met with unexpected gains.

Take this week, for example:

Tuesday afternoon, my Middle Son dropped by with a post hole auger in the back of his truck and offered to erect a fence beside our driveway. Oh, how I have wanted a fence there so the kids could play out there. I was elated! Then came the part where I offered to pay for the building materials to cover the cost. The amount was double what I had hoped for, but (easily) half the cost of hiring someone to come and build a fence for me. So ... I bit the bullet and thought to myself "I'll find a way!"

Guess what arrived in the mail Wednesday afternoon? A cheque, which will more than cover the amount of the fence.

I cannot believe the yin and the yang of my life. It is not just money I am talking about. It is life, itself. It gives, it takes. But for everything it takes, it seems there is something gained that helps to fill the void.

It feels like every good choice I have made is rewarded with compensation which covers that which I gave up, to attain what I received.

This epiphany makes me look back upon the Year of Living Precariously, while I tried to force a career change upon myself. It is only looking back, that I can see that the obstacles which were placed in front of me (almost) every step of the way. These roadblocks were trying to help me redirect my choices. Which I did. They went from bad to worse. It was only upon deciding to work from my home again that the obstacles were replaced with doors.

It is hard to determine what is a roadblock and what is a simply a challenge which must be overcome, to get to where you need to be, when living life in a forward direction.

I know we can't live life looking in the rear view mirror. But I certainly appreciate the backwards view to help me appreciate 'where I am' is a result of 'where I was'.

'Where I am' is a very good place to be. I am in a place of 'getting what I need' in order to 'pay for what I want'. Within reason.

Now about those new doors and living room windows I am hoping for ........

P.S. I forgot to mention the story of Tuesday morning: 

I awoke with the weight of our family book project off of my shoulders. I went about my morning as usual and all of a sudden, I heard the theme song of the dance competition I attended in 2010 on the radio. My heart was light, happy and full of fun dance moments as I remembered where I was the first time I heard "Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night". The song after that one? "You and Me" - another personal favorite and a Viennese waltz (my all time favorite dance). I almost called the dance studio and booked a dance lesson at that very moment (but I forgot).

Guess who called Wednesday afternoon?? The dance studio. They needed someone to fill in for a missing female partner this upcoming Friday night. And they happened to call me?!?!

My wishes are all coming true! Is hoping for doors and windows pushing it??