“The reason why we call it a BUDGET, is because we don’t Budge-IT” ~Warrior the Movie
If you haven’t seen the movie, WARRIOR, I highly recommend it. As a conservative, Southern momma from Texas, movies about mixed martial arts is not even on my radar when it comes to choosing a Netflix category. Thanks to my daughter’s recommendation, I was coaxed into watching what turned out to be one of the most thrilling movie experiences I’ve ever encountered. From the very first scene I knew I would love it. My husband and I both loved this movie. It has all the elements of a great STORY.
A father who is a recovering alcoholic, two brothers who have taken different life paths, both warriors in their own right, an underdog, a wounded son, runaway marine – turned hero, loyalty, betrayal, redemption, and a buildup and ending that will leave you weeping and cheering. Truly it is second to none. Though I watched this in my home, I was told that the movie audience cheered aloud in the theaters, which is the mark of a great movie.
The married couple is trying to hold their family together because of financial challenges. They are both working and struggling to make ends meet, but it becomes impossible for them to bring in enough money. They must live on a tight budget because they are at risk of losing their home due to high medical bills from their youngest daughter’s extended stay in a hospital. A high school physics teacher, and part-time bouncer, this father and husband will do anything to save his family home. Even if it means going against his wife’s wishes and returning to the fighting ring which almost cost him his life years earlier.
I guess this was an example of art imitating life for me. Though the unfolding of the storyline differed from our life, the spirit of the father was one I recognized and one I know up close and personal. You see, I am married to an underdog, who is also an over comer. I married a warrior, and he has fought hard to save our family and save our home, with the battle scars to show for it.
We too, have experienced the gut retching affliction of almost losing our home due to crushing debt burdens. Unpaid tax bills, student loans, credit cards, empty cupboards, soaring light bills, delinquent mortgage payments, and endless phone calls from debt collectors was our daily prison sentence from the crushing burden of DEBT. In fact, we were over $185,000 in debt when we finally were thrown a lifeline. This was July of 2006, we had six children at the time, our oldest was 13 and the youngest was a baby.
My husband, much like the main character in WARRIOR was doing everything humanly possible to help us make ends meet. He worked a full time job, several part-time jobs, tutored, taught guitar lessons, played gigs on the weekends, and sold what he could on eBay just to keep food on the table. Still it was not enough to get us out from the heavy burden caused by revolving debt. What changed our lives, and set us on a completely new trajectory, was the strong intervention of the Lord through two incredible men. These were fearless men, who locked arms with us, and were unafraid to get in the weeds and help us find a way out. They didn’t just point the way out of the mire, they got dirty and walked with us hand in hand to freedom.
In November of that year we were tackling our debt, my husband was driving us all home from church and saw a sign for free puppies. When he pulled over, the kids squealed with delight as they watched their daddy load a beautiful Australian Shepherd into our mini-van.
We named her FREEDOM.
Every time we call her, it reminds us of where we are headed.
This month The Laundry Moms are challenging our readers to take control of your DEBT and live a life of FREEDOM. I encourage you to sign up for our seven day challenge and let us help you start a new trajectory for your life. It was during this season that I became an avid coupon shopper and learned the techniques taught in my book, The Classical Couponer, which is available to you for free at the end of the seven day challenge.
Stay tuned next week and I will give you the rest of our story.
Laundry Mom~Erin♥
