Making Ends Meet
By Michael A. Verdicchio

Finances are a big responsibility for Christian dads. Sometimes it seems like a real juggling act! This article examines the phrase, "making ends meet."

I think in most people's minds, the phrase, "making ends meet" implies that it is a challenge to have your income and expenses match. Your budget is really tight. Another phrase indicating a similar situation would be, "just getting by."

There are many Christian dads today who are trying to make ends meet. They are trying to figure out how to take care of their obligations with the money that they have. Many struggle over which bills to pay and how much to pay on them. Their life seems to revolve around trying to make ends meet, day after day. Some Christian dads have even accepted their current situation as being permanent. For them, this is just how things are, and this is how they will stay.

You can choose to accept anything that you want to. You can look around, evaluate your situation and decide that there is no sense in fighting it; this is just the way things are for you. You can become convinced that your situation will not change, so you might as well just accept it, and do your best to make ends meet.

You can also look around at your current situation and choose not to accept it. You can decide that this is not the way you want to live for the rest of your life. With this attitude alone, you have taken the first step, which is not to accept life as it is now.

Some may argue that this is an ungrateful and selfish attitude. However, not accepting your current situation doesn't necessarily mean that you are unthankful or selfish.

Suppose you have three children and you are living in a one bedroom apartment. You may be very thankful for your current housing, but you desire to get a bigger place. It is neither selfish nor unthankful. You have simply decided to not settle for the way things are at this time in your life.

Now, let me tell you an interesting twist to this. Most people have no problem with someone with three children getting a bigger place to live in, or getting more money for food. But eventually, people will start judging others.

For example, suppose someone is in a nice three bedroom house and they decide they want to be in a bigger home with a garage? Does that make them unthankful for what they have now? Is that selfish thinking?

Who should decide, you? Me? No. It's their decision, and it is their life.

Each and every one of us Christian dads is responsible for our own lives. We are the ones who make the choices that affect our lives.

You can choose to do what so many do: just settle and make ends meet. Or, you can choose to not settle for the way things are today, and pursue the things that you desire for your life. Contrary to what some people say, that is not ungrateful or selfish.

The Bible says that God has promised to give you the desires of your heart! How many Christian dads simply overlook that great promise? Think about that...the desires of your heart!

Don't worry about what others say or think. People are always quick to criticize, especially when someone is successful and prosperous. Their opinions are not important. God's opinion is what is important, and He said that He will give you the desires of your heart! He said that He wishes above all tings that you would prosper and be in health.

You are the one who defines prosperity for you. That may very well be a small one bedroom apartment. Or, it may be a big four bedroom house. It may be something else all together.

The point is to make sure that you are defining what prosperity is for your life, and that you are not allowing someone else to decide for you.

You can choose to just settle and make ends meet. Or, you can choose to pursue the things that you desire for your life. God's desire for you is that you be a very successful Christian dad in every area of you life!