We have now finished reading Dave Ramsey’s book, Financial Peace Revisited as a family. We enjoyed it very much and have started gathering information and filling out the forms at the back of the book to help us make a better financial plan. I have had a plan all along that is not dissimilar to what Ramsey recommends, but this has given us an excellent “teachable moment.” If provides some structure to the life skill of financial planning that is not so onerous that it is painful to do. When I mentioned that we had finished reading the book and were jumping into our family plan, my buddy Eric popped me a note with a recommendation of another book. He wrote:
I don’t know if you’ve ever read the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad? I would encourage you to read it and have your children read it (a great and practical homeschool subject!). It is not about getting rich as much as it is about how to wisely grow and manage wealth. It is akin to Dave Ramsey’s books, but less focused on debt and more focused on wealth. (Ramsey is good but he depresses me with all the talk about the negative aspects of money.) Anyway, we read the book several years ago and it has helped us.
I concur with Eric’s comments about Ramsey being a little bit depressing. I sometimes listen to his radio show on the way home from work. He is doing good work. It is especially inspiring to hear how people got out from under horrendous amounts of debt through hard work and perseverance, but there are some pretty sad stories, too. What is fortuitous about his recommendation is that, when we finished reading Financial Peace Revisited the kids both wanted to read another book about finances. I ordered the book this morning. I think we will learn something from it and it will be a good inspirational book for us while we are going through our new budgeting process, too.
Bryan and Lyle, you are in big trouble. We had one of our ministers over for dinner and to stay the night last night. Lorena pulled out all the stops. We had shish kabobs, rice, and a big salad. I was really worried, but when I got up and weighed myself this morning, I was well below 200 lbs! I hope it is just not that the battery in the scale is starting to give out. I can see the running competition is really heating up over on Lyle’s blog. Eric thinks he is going to run a marathon. I think he is not wise and apprised him of my motto when it comes to running marathons–“No pain, no pain.” Still, he ought to get in on Lyle’s competition and show those whippersnappers how it is done.
So fun to catch up on life in your area again. You’ve been on my mind as I know you’re having your special meetings now…although we’re in Western NC we’re in the GA field and had our specials last month…yet we snuck over to Hickory NC for theirs a couple weeks ago… along with Heather and her family…we’d had dinner with Slade Blend and Kevin Killam at Heather’s and learned Ray Miller would be in Hickory…Don and Ray go back a few years. I see you enjoyed time with K. Coleman…we know THAT’S special. You’re doing great on your NC touring…we’ve done some but seems our trips take us out of NC…we need to change that…we just got back from St. Augustine FL…met my brother and sis-in-law from Minnesota…then hopefully off to Charleston SC near the end of June to meet Jim and Lyn Sorenson for a few days. Come SOUTH!!! Rafting is great down here…come check it out!
Thanks for the nice note Marilyn. We are definitely going to have to make our way down there before too long. We have a number of good friends there. The DeGroots, the Wheelers, the Rosas, etc. There is just too much stuff to do and too little time. The road goes both ways and your are very welcome up here, too! We indeed are looking forward to special meetings here. Slade, Mary Jane, and Dorothy were all at lunch with Lorena today. A good time was had by all.
It was absolutely wonderful! Everyone told their testimony, and then Slade played some hymns and we sang along with him. We really enjoyed it! 🙂
I am glad to hear you had a great time, Kelly. I wish I could have been there.
Hey…with the DeGroots, Wheelers, and Rosas on the list, as well, you MUST come down to Demorest!!! I had to get into your blog again to type the info on the air cars…Don has been talking to coworkers about them and they’re wanting the scoop!
I will check on the latest and send you a link.