Focus.

Recently, I joined Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. My friends Danette and Nan are teaching the class at a local ministry, and since both of them are huge Dave Ramsey fans, I decided to see what it's all about. So far, I'm not sorry I joined the class. Granted, Dave challenges one to be very deliberate about your spending habits. That means, you've got to make a budget and stick to it...

Let me interject here and say that I'm infinitely thankful for a dad who taught us from a very young age to work wisely with money. This class, though, is helping me to be very deliberate about my spending and saving. Which is always good. "Tell your money where to go rather than wonder where it went," Dave quotes John Maxwell as saying.

The same can be said of time. Recently, working on a paper for school has been taking me a long time. Much more time than it should. I've had a hard time focusing. So today, while having the budget lesson on my mind, I decided to also budget my time for the next few weeks. I want to get my paper done (and do it well, I must add.) But I only have so many days before I leave the US again. And I refuse to be traveling with a paper still hanging over my head! So I budgeted my time. I looked at my "time income" and at what still needs to be done, and drew up a schedule.

It's going to take immense focus. But it will be good to move on. In fact, I was able to complete my book report scheduled for today--plus get a bunch of other tasks accomplished, too. Definitely a good feeling. And though other demands came up (or requests for time spent with others) I was able to evaluate the "time budget" and not feel badly about unplanned spending. Because I planned for those events.

Yes, yes. Stuff can happen. Stuff will happen. But the budgets (both money and time) is helping me to regain focus.

Which is always a good thing.

"Tell yourself how you want to spend your [time/money] rather than wondering where all the [time/money] went." Perhaps I finally have a resolution for 2009.

As for my plans for the weekend: Of course I'm also planning to join my friends for a Superbowl party on Sunday! We're all rooting for Kurt and his team to win. He's from Cedar Rapids, for you out-of-town friends. And for those of you who's going, "Kurt who?" (or even, "Superbowl? What's that?), don't worry. When I first got to Cedar Rapids, we were often praying for Kurt Warner at our Bible study since his mom was in our group. I finally had to ask a friend, "Who is this Kurt guy that we're always pray for?" At least I know who he is now and sort-of how the game of football works. But I still really only watch it to enjoy the company of good friends. Except this weekend. I'll actually have a team for which to root!