Friday, October 15, 2010

Money Memories

 I had been thinking about my post for today and had it all planned out until I saw Linda's questions from Mocha with Linda. They stirred such memories for me that I changed my plans and decided that maybe the Company Girls would enjoy my answers to these as well as any other entry I might post.  So, today I'm teaming up with both. You can visit Rachel at Company Girls. Both are two of my favorite ladies. Okay, now to the topic at hand.
 How was money handled in your family when you were growing up? What little money we had was handled very conservatively. We lived by a budget and certainly never spent what we did not have. And, to my knowledge, credit cards were unheard of (at least at our house). 
Were your parents savers or spenders? For many, many years they had little to save, but I am quite certain that they saved what they could and they always knew that the Lord would bless their efforts.
Who paid the bills? My Dad was always in charge of the bills, wrote most all the checks and I think that was probably the way it was in most households during that era. Men just took care of the money in the home.  Times have certainly changed haven't they?  I don't know that my husband has written one check since we married 39 years ago. ~smile~
What, if anything, did they teach you about money? First, that it did not grow on a tree!  And, to spend it very wisely. My parents both did an excellent job of setting an example for us in wise decision making regarding money.
Did you have an allowance? Oh, I remember this like it was yesterday and it was probably 50 years ago. ~Yikes!~ My first allowance amount was $1.00 and I was told how 10% of that belonged to the Lord and each Sunday I was to tithe 1/10 of my allowance.  Of course, I just didn't get that at all.  I mean, that left me only 90 cents. But, it is because of that teaching that I am a tither to this day.
 Whether received as an allowance or through other means such as gifts, when you had your " own"  money, were there restrictions on how you spent it ? No, not that I recall.  I would usually use any money that I had to buy myself something that my parents could not afford to buy for me. When I was young it was likely some type of toy, when I was older, it was almost always some type of clothing.
Were you paid for making certain grades on your report card? No, I don't think that my parents thought too much of that philosophy and used other incentives for  our making good grades.
Did your parents tithe or give money to the church on a regular basis? Well, since my Dad was a Minister, he had pretty deep convictions about tithing and no matter how tough times were, the tithe was always given first. Our needs were always met with whatever was left, no matter how great or how small the amount.  I well remember both my Dad and Mom explaining to us  that if we were faithful to God with our tithes and offerings, He would always provide for our needs. And, He did! They would often say to us, "  you can't out give God."   What truth!
What about other charities? I don't remember anything about our giving to any charities, but I well remember mission offerings being of the utmost importance to my parents. There was never a mission offering emphasis that my parents did not give something to and each offering was explained to us and we were told the importance of each one. And, we were taught that this type of giving was always over and above our tithes.
How old were you when you got your first checking account or credit card? I opened my first checking account just a few months before I married.  I was working at a Kroger Grocery Store and used the money I was making from that job to open the account. And, I remember thinking that I had most definitely "  arrived "  because I had a checking account.  I did not have a credit card until my husband and I got married and our first credit card was from Sears and we used it to buy our first TV. ~chuckle~
 How has the way you were raised impacted your handling of financial issues today? Well, to be quite honest, it has made me often feel very guilty because I do not use near as much wisdom as I was taught to use in the handling of money today.  My husband and I have been blessed with more finances than my parents ever had and to me, that is all the more reason to be a good steward of what the Lord  blessed us with.  Not that we have not been good stewards, but we  could have given more thought to some of our financial decisions these past 39 years. I'm reminded of Luke 12:48, "  to whom much is given, much is required."  

This "  Flashback"   has brought back so many precious memories to me of my "  growing up"   years and the wonderful example my parents set before me and my brothers in money management.  They always assured us of God's provision and then always gave Him the glory for those provisions.  It just doesn't get much better than that! 
Lea @ CiCis Corner
Lea @ CiCis Corner

Hi there! My name is Lea. I've been wife to the best Hubby for 44 years....Mom to a son and daughter....CiCi to 4 precious Grans....lover of family and friends....enjoy laughter and a good time....shopper....picture taking maniac....maker of delicious fudge....organizational enthusiast....memory maker....Southern Belle...and most importantly.....a Child of the King! Welcome to my little corner!

10 comments:

  1. It is funny how times have changed. My daddy did not become a minister until I was a little older...probably 1st or second grade and he was bi-vocational. I was in upper elementary when he took his first full time pastorate and whoa at the change in income! But I wouldn't change the way we grew up for anything. What we lacked materially, we had in love and laughter and a knowledge of our loving God. Those things are worth a lot more!

    Have a great weekend!

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  2. Lea, what great memories! How awesome to have such an example in your parents...:)

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  3. Money is generally such a touchy subject - I love these questions and your answers! I'm going to try to find the time to answer them today. I was raised very privileged and a lot of what I was taught about money had to do with work ethic (they went hand in hand in our house!). It has definitely influenced who I am today! Thanks, as always, for sharing :)
    xoxo, Kelly

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  4. My parents always gave to the church and I think that is part of the reason that I followed suit. But what keeps me going now is that I want to give because it is something that God has asked me to do. I have just recently gotten to the point where I give gladly and don't harp on the things I could be buying. Things are pretty much worthless anyway in comparison to the kingdom!

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  5. I so enjoyed reading this. I laughed about your husband not writing checks once y'all got married. That's the way it is here, too! I'm the one that keeps up with all the bills.

    I'm glad you participated today!

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  6. We didn't have much money growing up but I didn't know that. Still lots of fantastic memories that money can't buy. We knew my parents worked hard so we really never asked for much...except my brother because I think he was tired of playing his 3 older sisters' toys. =p What a fun meme!

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  7. Lea, being a preacher's daughter like you, our memories are very similar! I know some Christians today don't believe tithing is necessary, but my parents always set the example for me, and my husband and I have found that the principles are tried-and-true.

    I enjoyed your money memories! I did a different meme today, just for fun.

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  8. I love hearing testimonies of how God has provided for people as they've been faithful to tithe. I know that the times when I've trusted God to provide and have cheerfully given from what little I had, I experienced God's provision--and joy in the midst of it all. When I've not trusted God's provision and fretted and held back from giving or given grudgingly, that's when times really get hard. It seems the more loosely I hold money (not in the sense of being unwise, but in the sense of not clinging to money as a source of security), the more money I seem to have--and the more tightly I cling to it, the less I have.

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  9. Morning Lea. Funny how much we follow or not our parents style. We do things very differently with money than either of our parents. We hope our chidren have a good, solid,grounded example to follow. thanks as always for a great psot and coffee!
    Blessings!

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  10. How wonderful that you were brought up to save and tithe. My husband and I are pretty good at this. I've slipped a few times, but always get right back on track. It's so important to trust God in this way. He has never failed us.

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