Sunday best

I plan to take Sundays off from my blog but that will not be written in stone. Bob and I are often traveling for his work and if the motels we stay in do not have wireless connections, I will not be able to send that day's blog to you.

Today is Sunday. We're dressed and I'm eating my breakfast bar. Coffee is brewing and we'll take a mug with us to church.

I am a Christian and we generally do not forsake gathering in community worship on Sundays. God lives with me in my daily life but we are called to community weekly.

You might be asking if the bargain side of her gives to her church. Does she give by a strict tithe or ten percent dictate. My answer would be yes and no. The ten percent figure is mostly found in the Old Testament when God dealt with his creation under the Law. Christ came to fulfill that law and allow us to worship in spirit and truth.

I have the freedom to give beyond the tithe to express what scriptures call offerings. Tithes and offerings are stated in the same phrase so they are different creatures. Tithe is expected and offering is a flow of loving response to God's presence in our lives.

This sounds like a sermon. It's what I have learned over my many years. True wealth and true power come when we have the freedom to give and give. After our tithe, which is roughly based on take home wages, we give offerings. That's our philosophy. We do not dictate that to others.

So our beginning budget always starts with 10% outgoing to church or other causes, 10% to ourselves in the form of saving. We live our budget based on 80%. These are, of course, of the leftover money after taxes are satisfied. We consider any tax refund as earned wages and subject to these divisions as well. In other words, not a free gift to splurge with or to pay down debt.

The coffee is ready and so am I. It looks like it frosted last night on the grass and windshields. The Bears play at noon.

'til later