Living Beyond Rich

Living Beyond Rich by Jen McDonough is a great handbook for those who are interested in improving their finances or lives.  If you are sick and tired of being broke and are seeking financial freedom, this book is for you. Jen does a great job telling her families story and gives the read a playbook on how to regain control of your families finances even in the face of emergencies. Jen's story was very inspiring as I work on trying to live a balanced life.  I especially liked that she brought it others to share their stories and offer their "Awesome Expert Advice" in some of the final chapters of the book.  Another one of my favorite parts throughout the book "Jenspirations" that she shares a quote or key point.  I read some of it with my wife and she especially appreciated hearing from a woman's perspective.  Jen writes about her experiences as a wife and mother on how her family dealt with losing a job, a family illness and financial problems while working toward financial freedom.

Here is some experts from an interview with Jen McDonough.

What words of advice would you have for others?
I want others to hear our story and see that the impossible CAN be possible...that if we can do it, THEY can do it. I want them to know that there is HOPE even in hopeless situations. I want them to know that success comes from taking intentional action and that it is not weak or shameful to seek out help through mentors, councilors, coaches, etc.

I want them to know that the sacrifices are easier to make when we can see an end in site and that living in fear, embarrassment and shame when it comes to finances is no way to live.

Lastly I want them to know they are NOT alone. MANY people have walked in their shoes before them and many will walk in them after them. There is a choice on how we choose to live and my wish for them is to live the incredible life they are capable of living by taking intentional action.

How can people connect with you?
I would love to connect with people through our blogs at www.TheIronJen.com, through our FREE monthly tele seminars, on my podcast which will be on Sticher and Itunes as well as through our blog, on Twitter (@TheIronJen), and Facebook at The Iron Jen. I would also be delighted to come give a workshop or speak to your corporation, organization, club, or church.

Here is a book trailer video that Jen has put together for us.

If you would be interested in buying a copy of my book, please use my affiliate here: Click here to visit The Iron Jen Store.  The book launch is scheduled for December 4th, but the books are available now.
 
Jen McDonough also has given me a book to give away to one of my readers.  You can enter the random giveaway below using rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I was given an e-copy of this book to read ahead of time in exchange for writing a review, but was not required for the review to be positive. 
 

Giving Tuesday

The United Methodist Church through their campaign #rethinkchurch are asking us to reclaim Christmas this year.  Here is their 60 second advertisement.  Check it out!



One way we can reclaim the spirit of Christmas is by participating in Giving Tuesday.  You can read about what charities are doing here. Today we are called to give some of ourselves to others.  It can be your time, your money, or your talents.  Take some time out of your schedule today to give!  Before leaving for my meeting/conference, my family went through multiple rooms in our house cleaning out things we no longer need and Anna and William will be donating those to Hope Ministry while I am away.  I will be spending the day giving of my time at the NCUEA Executive Board meeting preparing to help hundreds of educators coming to our fall conference this weekend and thousands of members and millions of students in urban school districts across the country.  I will be also looking for other opportunities to participate in random acts of kindness while in Seattle throughout the day/week.

Some great ideas.

• Light em up 2012

Please share other sites with some great ideas on how to give back to others in your family, community and world this holiday season.  

Making Memories

Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to make lasting memories with family members.  I made a lot of these memories.  I was able to enjoy two Thanksgiving feast with my extended family.  We were able to attend "Meet Me in St. Louis" with Anna's parents.  I was able to play Bingo with my grandpa, my mom, my aunts and my brother.  We also were able to continue our family tradition of getting a family picture we add new people to our family.

When William was born we just took the picture at a family gathering with my moms camera.  When my brothers or I got married we added a member to our family and made sure to get a large family photograph by the wedding photographer.  This year we had the addition of two baby girls and had our pictures taken by a professional photography studio in Cedar Rapids before the Davis family Thanksgiving.  Below are some of the pictures that were taken Saturday.

William and his baby cousins

My mom and her four sons

My mom and her grandkids 

The whole family

My three brothers and me

William's solo picture

My nuclear family

Practical Education for Children

This is my final post sharing the insights I had after reading Patrick Morley's books (The Man in the Mirror, The Seven Seasons of the Man in the Mirror and The Dad in the Mirror).  This information was mainly in The Dad in the Mirror.  Patrick Morley shared with his readers how the Book of Proverbs is a great instruction manual for parents to teach their children practical (and moral) education.  Some of my favorite verses he shared were:

• Don't talk to much (Proverbs 10:19)
• Think before you speak (Proverbs 13:3)
• Be careful who you hang out with (Proverbs 13:20)
• Use gentle words rather than harsh ones (Proverbs 15:1)
• Try to understand others before asking them to understand you (Proverbs 18:13)
• Be fair and honest in your work (Proverbs 11:11)
• Be big enough to let the "little ones" go (Proverbs 12:16)
• Dont cosign someone else's debt (Proverbs 11:13)

A suggestion that Patrick had for his readers and I have for mine is to join me in the next month to read 1 Proverb a day with your child(ren) and discuss it's message.  I think this could be an experience to help us as parents and your children to learn more about how God wants us to live our lives.  There are 31 days in the month of December so it would be a perfect time to start.  I think I will be taking the rest of November to read through the Proverbs again myself and be prepared to share my insights with my son. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

One of William's (and my) favorite things about the holidays is that all of our family gets together.  It is one of our traditions for Thanksgiving to get together at Anna's parents house and everyone from my family is invited too.  The time of the meal has changed over the year, but several things have not.  Everyone is always invited, we come with hearts of thanksgiving and we center ourselves on all God has blessed our family with during good and hard times.  I thank God for many things this Thanksgiving and hope that you will make a joyful noise today.  Today Anna's parents are going to have a reading of Psalm 100 by various generations of the 30 family members coming to their house today. You can click on the picture above to find other great Thanksgiving traditions you could do with your family. 

Here are some other scriptures to meditate on today:

Psalm 107:1 Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever.
Psalm 107:8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.
Psalm 107:22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of His works with songs of joy.
1 Chronicles 16:8 Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Holiday Fitness

The average person gains over 5 pounds during the holiday season.  Due to this my gym, Kosama in Altoona), is hosting a holiday fitness challenge to keep people motivated to continuing moving toward our goals between now and December 31st. I signed up on Monday and committed to my current fat mass.  I cannot to gain more than .6lb or will have to pay $5 a pound into a pot.  If I lose more than .6lbs I will get to divide the pot equally with all other people who lose more than .6lbs during the holiday season.  I have doing a lot of running but not doing a great job with my eating or making it to the gym lately, so I am looking forward to this challenge to recommit me to my health goals.  I would encourage you to join me in trying to make this the fittest holiday season of your life.

If anyone would like to join me, Kosama has a Black Friday/Small Business Saturday sale.  You can join for a 14 month membership for only $599.00 plus an additional 2 months. This comes out to less than $43.00 a month! Call, email or stop in to Kosama Altoona to take advantage of this deal.   If you join mention I referred you!

Here are some blogs/websites with some tips for staying fit this Thanksgiving:

• Five fun Thanksgiving fitness tips
• 10 Tips for a Thinner Thanksgiving
• 5 Tips for Fitting in Fitness Between Thanksgiving Courses

Please add any tips that you use in the comments on the blog! 

Our Legacies

This is my second of three post from my favorite insights I came away with after reading Patrick Morley's books (The Man in the Mirror, The Seven Seasons of the Man in the Mirror and The Dad in the Mirror).  Patrick challenges each of us to leave the world better than we found it.  He shared something in his books that I thought really helped bring the point home.  

• The world's a better place because Michelangelo did not say, "I don't do ceilings."
• The world's a better place because a German monk - Martin Luther didn’t say, "I don't do doors."
• The world's a better place because Moses didn't say, "I don't do Pharaohs or mass migrations."
• The world's a better place because Noah didn't say, "I don't do arks and animals.
• The world's a better place because David didn't say, "I don't do giants."
• The world's a better place because Jeremiah didn't say, "I don't do weeping."
• The world's a better place because Peter didn't say, "I don't do Gentiles."
• The world's a better place because Mary didn't say, "I don't do virgin births."
• The world's a better place because Paul didn't say, "I don't do letters"
• The world's a better place because Jesus didn't say "I don't do crosses."

You have a choice to make make.  Will you say "I don't do..." or will you choose to help make the world better and step up to the challenge?  Each of us has the power to change the world around us. The world will be a better place only if you and I don't say, "I don't do..." What will your legacy be?  

Looking in the Mirror

I have recently read three books by Patrick Morley (The Man in the Mirror, The Seven Seasons of the Man in the Mirror and The Dad in the Mirror).  All were long books but hit on some great points that I would like to share with my readers this week.  I plan to write at least three blog post based on some things I found interesting from the three books.

One of my favorite take aways from the books was when Patrick Morley talked about how the Bible reinforces the priorities I should have as a man of God.  Here is a list of those priorities along with a Bible reference.

I need to...

1. put God first. (Matthew 6:33)
2. maintain my first love, Jesus Christ. (Revelations 2:4)
3. be constantly seeking to be at the center of the will of God. (Philippians 2:13, Romans 12:2)
4. be the husband, father and provider that God intended me to be. (1 Timothy 5:8)
5. be a faithful, diligent and honest employee. (Colossians 3:23-25)
6. be financially responsible. (Luke 16:10-12)

Along with these priorities for men of God, Patrick Morley talked about what makes a real man.  He says that a real man is a man of:

1. Courage
2. Wisdom
3. Commitments 
• Build the Kingdom (Matthew 28:18-20)
• Tend the Culture (Genesis 1:28)
• Love other People (John 13:34-35)
• Love the King (Matthew 22:37-38) 
4. Balance

The next few days I will be posting blogs about leaving the world better than you found it and tips for teaching children practical and moral truths. Please make sure you are praying for your children! 

Living History Farms Race Pictures

One of my physical wellness goals for the rest of 2012 was to finish the Living History Farms Off Road Race.  I did it, though a little disappointed my time.  I shut down mentally early on and never recovered.  I had a great time though with some great people from church and over 7500 other people running the trails! 

My goals for the rest of 2012

My goals for the rest of 2012

Social Wellness focuses on how you choose to define and connect with your community and the people around you.

By the end of 2012 I will participate with other people in acts of service to help others in my community and to connect with family or friends.  

Financial Wellness is your relationship with money and skills in managing resources, as well as your ability to make good consumer choices and seek out appropriate financial opportunities.

I will begin teaching my second Financial Peace University class to a small group of people in my home in December.  I will also share resources I have with other friends. 

Occupational Wellness is the work you choose to do and how you feel it contributes to your community and fulfills you.

I will give every student a personalized comment on their report card to give them meaningful feedback about how they are doing in my class instead of just a letter grade at the end of term 2. 

Physical Wellness refers to the role that you take in maintaining your body for strength, vitality and energy.

I will finish the last two races I am signed up for in 2012 (the Living History Farms Race on November 17th and the Jingle Jog on December 15th).  I will also make it to Kosama at least 20 times before the end of 2012. 

Environmental Wellness reflects the impact you have on the planet and the impact the planet has on you.

I will shutdown my computer every night.  This will help me reduce the amount of wasted energy I use and maybe help me not go straight to the computer in the mornings.

Intellectual Wellness means feeling stimulated and engaged with learning and staying open to new ideas and perspectives.

I will read at least 4 more books by the end of 2012.  I have currently read 66 books this year.  I will attempt for at least one book on each of the following topics; Christianity  Fatherhood, Being a Husband, and Finances. 

Emotional Wellness are the actions you take in response to your feelings, being at peace with who you are, and the tools you need to weather life's ups and downs.

I will continue to strive to meet the 21 day challenge.  My goal is to complete the complant free challenge by the end of 2012. 

Spiritual Wellness refers to your understanding of your place and purpose, how you make meaning of what happens to you, and what your mind goes to for comfort or relief.

One of my goals is to complete my reading of the BIble in 2012.  I also hope to continue the habit of having a daily quiet time with the Lord now that our 40 Days in the Word study has ended. 

Meeting the Challenge

Calling the 21 day challenge a "challenge" may be an understatement.  I never thought I complained much, but I have proved myself wrong.  I wanted to give an update on the 21 complaint free day challenge has been going.  I have made it to 9 days once before letting a complaint slip.  I have recommitted several times and am currently working on day 5 again.  I am going to make it.  Thank you for those who have helped encourage me and kept me accountable.

One of the major reasons that I started this blog was to keep myself accountable to live a balanced life.  I originally wrote created it with the ideas of balancing the areas of wellness (spiritual, physical, emotional, social and intellectual).  When talking about areas of wellness many people have different definitions and include various strands.  

Here is a list of 8 strands that I will be working on in the future from the University of Michigan. 

Social Wellness focuses on how you choose to define and connect with your community and the people around you.
Financial Wellness is your relationship with money and skills in managing resources, as well as your ability to make good consumer choices and seek out appropriate financial opportunities.
Occupational Wellness is the work you choose to do and how you feel it contributes to your community and fulfills you.
Physical Wellness refers to the role that you take in maintaining your body for strength, vitality and energy.
Environmental Wellness reflects the impact you have on the planet and the impact the planet has on you.
Intellectual Wellness means feeling stimulated and engaged with learning and staying open to new ideas and perspectives.
Emotional Wellness are the actions you take in response to your feelings, being at peace with who you are, and the tools you need to weather life's ups and downs.
Spiritual Wellness refers to your understanding of your place and purpose, how you make meaning of what happens to you, and what your mind goes to for comfort or relief.

I will be trying to continue to improve in each of these areas while trying to become the kind of man (person, husband, father, teacher, and friend) that God created me to be. I will do this by setting goals in each area and allowing others to keep me accountable.  Tomorrow night I will post a goal for each dimension of wellness for the remainder of 2012. Please continue to challenge me.   

Rethinking Blog

I have been rethinking the purpose of this blog and deciding what I want to do with it in the future.  I can continue to talk about my life.  I could look at current events and give my opinion through various lenses.  I could focus on a topic and talk about books I read, my experiences and thoughts I have on a specific topic (church, finances, fatherhood, etc.).  I could also just delete the blog.

If you have a preference on what you would be interested in reading, leave me some feedback in the comment section.  I hope to figure out the future of the blog by the end of the month, but hopefully I will post at least once or twice between now and then too.

Thankfulness

Had to start over on my journey to 21 days living complain free again.  Looking forward to trying again!

Today is the first day of November and therefore begins the month of thankfulness again on Facebook   I plan on participating in this as well.  

Day of Thankfulness Day 1: I am thankful for God's love!