Tales From Another Planet

I know that I am a freak of nature. Our church is doing a sermon series on the financial crisis. When our pastor was talking about financial responsibility he mentioned three common pitfalls we should all avoid. When he asked everyone who had ever fallen into one of those pitfalls to raise their hand, I was about the only one who struggled to think of some reason to raise my hand. Am I perfect financially? No. But I do follow some basic principles and guidelines that I have been taught since I was a child. Also, as I tell my husband, I am freakishly frugal. Fortunately for me, frugality has become somewhat fashionable. I saved almost all of my birthday checks and babysitting money throughout childhood. I saved a good portion of my summer job money, and had a summer job since I turned 15. Did I splurge? A few times, but only for the really important things. I used a portion of money for a trip to visit a friend in Germany (I spent less than $700 including the plane ticket, train tic...

Maybe it's because I'm newly married, but I get really offended when someone tells me divorce is a wonderful thing and that it's great that women have "more choices." Choosing to leave your family for "a better fit" husband is like choosing to wreck your car because you wanted a different color. You picked the car out yourself. You knew what color it was when you bought it. It's one thing if the car needs a new engine (i.e. he is cheating on you). Other than that, you knew what you were doing when you said "I do". Is my husband the perfect man in the world? Of course not! But, by being a better wife, my husband will become a better man. Not by nagging, making new "guy friends", complaining, arguing. We have a choice in our behavior, just like we have a choice in whether or not we got married. I said "yes" several times to several questions. Why would I decide to back out for "more choices". I already made a...