I will begin by explaining what I am doing. I am living a life separated from my family. This life includes going to work each day and coming back to a 600 square foot apartment (twice and big as I need) in the evenings. I think I found the least expense apartment in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I am also trying to save money by conserving water, electricity, gas, etc. The cost for my apartment is $800 per month. My food budget is $5 per day. I'm also trying to keep my utility expenses below $150, fuel for my car at one tank per month, no Internet, and no cable in the apartment. Taking all this in mind, I would like to keep my expenses less than $1200/month.
I got put into a situation about 2 months ago when my design business was not generating the level of revenue it needed to sustain me and my family. My father-in-law and I have been trying to get the momentum of the company up to a point where I could leave my full-time position and just do my own thing full-time. We got into a situation that required that I make that jump, maybe prematurely, but it was a step of faith and integrity. This situation propelled me into a position of sales and every other position that is not filled by anyone. With the help of our business coach we were on the road to making it work.
I gave my wife and I a 3 month runway to get our feet up off the ground. As we started to look at the numbers it looked like it was possible to make a go of the opportunity. At the 3 month point all was go and we were on our way! Then as quickly as everything looked promising we started to lose one bid after another, and our potential client list dwindled away. Spending our saving and taking on debit to pay the bills was not the part of the journey we had set out on 6 months earlier. It was time to find a steady income stream.
As an industrial designer with serious experience and expertise in VIP aircraft interiors it is difficult to find a comparable job, pay wise, in a design firm or architectural firm. This put me in the position of looking for positions outside of the local area. This was a reluctant decision, but keeping the kids in the same school district was nonnegotiable, so if I did find anything outside the local area it would mean I would be doing it on my own. It was either this or find a less paying job in Florida, sell the house and move back, with a lessor house.
When God blessed us with this opportunity we did not look at it as a blessing, it was just the opposite. After flying down for an interview for the position,I thought what in the world. This place is 6 hours from home by car, it get hot and humid, and how can I be away from the family in such a place? God works in amazing ways.
First of all, me and my wife would never have made this decision if we hadn't been over our head in debit and if we had any other opportunity on the table we would have taken it. Which we did, at a facility 20 minutes from my home. I received a call the day I was to go to Lake Charles for an interview. This call was made by their HR person to set up an interview with the day after I returned from my interview here! Perfect I could play one off the other and pick the local opportunity. Well the call to confirm the interview time came and went. After several calls with messages and the hope of getting a face to face was dimming. An offer came in from the place in Louisiana and it was time to make the decision.
I signed the paper work and it was official, I was heading to Lake Charles. I decided from the beginning to live as minimalistically as possible to reduce the impact on the family budget and also to be able to send as much money as possible to pay off debit.
Something else God was working on was getting rid of my busyness. More about this later, but I had to resign from being major pro-temp of our local town and from a local charity that raises funds for education, and from leading the robotics club at my boy's intermediate school. He wiped my plate clean in a matter of a week...
After searching over the Internet and calls to some local accommodations, I settled on the lowest cost apartment in a deceit neighborhood and got all the paperwork taken care of before leaving.
We had a couple of weeks to get things in order before departing and off I went, with Amy tailing behind in the van and with the kids to help me move into our second home (only 1 hour from the beach, Amy had always wanted to get back near the water, so here it was!). After getting moved in I got to spend a couple of days with the family before they headed back home.
I had a choose I could look at this as a curse or a blessing. After a few days I decided that God had a reason for me being here and I was going to put it in his hands. The first weekend here I attended a church across the street from the apartment complex. I found out they had a men's bible study every Sunday night at 5 and attended. I ran into the guy that showed me the contemporary service, the first guy I met Barry, and a doctor, Mr Dick Landry. They welcoming me with such love that I felt this is where God wanted me to be.
God has provided many instantly of his presence and has been guiding me to a better understanding of him along the way. The bible study had been about becoming Kingdom Disciples and what it means to follow in Jesus' foot steps as a disciple. Its all about putting Jesus first. This had been my mantra. The Holy Spirit has created a desire to put him first every morning. Every morning I have been dedicated to the study and wanting to learn more.
A trip home last week allowed me to spend over 10 hours listening to Billy Gram's book about the Holy Spirit. These are opportunities I would not have in my busy life of just a month ago.
So I am taking this opportunity to live a closer life to Jesus. Jesus did not have possessions and he lived a very minimal life style with less worldly things. To be a disciple we also must learn to live without worldly possessions. Even though I must fulfill the dues of my employer I can still live as minimally as possible and avoid the trappings of the popular view of needing possessions. Even doing what I am attempting is extravagant compared to most of the world. We can thrive without consumption to the level of today's modern America. This need for consumption leads us way from our focus on Jesus.
So here is how I am doing so far:
- Rent: $800
- Electric: $33.28 (includes $12.50 connection fee)
- Other utilities: $68.49 (includes $20 new account fee)
- Food: $50, $35, $65, $15, $10, (home), $13, $2.80
- Fuel: $30 March, $30 (trip home), $30 home, $30 April
- Move in: Ross $40, bed $220, Goodwill: $60, Wayfair $6
- Clothing: Ross $100, $22 shirt alteration
- Church tithe: $60
- Birthday: Movies $10 3/29, gifts from family visit
- Gifts: Gift cards: $50 Wayfair
Living expenses wise it looks like we are within budget. Living a scarafical life (american style) allows me to put a bigger focus on Jesus and understanding him better.
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