Turns out.... giving up cable TV and the expensive gym was a good thing!
I was hanging out with one of my favorite girls from church - talking about our weeks - and I was telling her about how it seemed (no..I KNOW) God wanted me to give up two things: cable TV (gasp!) and the Y (what? no more classes in the pool?)...
but the reality is... cable TV was $60 a month and the gym was $61 for one person (don't get me started on how a FAMILY membership is a mere $19 more than a single membership at the Y).
so for months, literally, I felt I should give up "cable TV + the gym".
I resisted.
And resisted.
ACTION #1: Finally - not so much out of Total Obedience (obviously) I realized "hello..I don't channel surf when I watch TV. I turn on the TV, check the recorded show list - my To Watch list - and watch something"... so I realized no cable TV would barely make a dent on me and I could watch shows via hulu.com and the networks. So i turned in my cable box. The thing I've missed most about my DVR/cable TV was that the DVR was my CLOCK in the living room..central to my entire apartment. I would glance it all day/night just to check the time. So I don't miss my $61/month clock.
BLESSING #1: I watch maybe one show every other night but I've had time and peace of mind. (this is so NOT a commercial for giving up cable TV)... I get home, I putter around - doing dishes or laundry, reading more, without a To Watch on the DVR list over my head. Nights and weekends feel so much more relaxed and full now and PEACEFUL. (shoot..I shouldn't "shout" PEACEFUL)
ACTION #2: The Gym. $61 is a lot of money a month... and I procrastinated on giving it up. then I was sick and couldn't work out. turns out, I'll survive without the Y. (again, not total obedience to God but out of "oh yeah!" moments which is probably how God works too). So it seemed I could survive without my expensive gym.
Then we had a work meeting with a rep from the insurance company. He was SO great..and also was a TWIN for the guy in Princess Bride who says "INCONCEIVABLE!!".
So Princess Bride Insurance Guy speaks for an hour and I'm engrossed in his speech. He is there to help the employees get the most out of our insurance. and you guys know I've needed the health care system these past three months. (bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.)
He showed us how to get cheaper prescriptions, how to "work the system" so to speak but also talked about a HEALTH CLUB MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT. What did I hear?
BLESSING #2 Yes..if I would go 12 times/month to a participating gym, I'd get $20 back into my checking account from the health insurance company via the gym.... win-win situation. better health by working out AND better balance in the checking account.
AND I'm switching to Curves which cost $34/month. with the reimbursement for each month that I would go 12 times, my cost is $14 a month. FAR CRY from $61 a month. (and I love Curves. I went for two years when living in San Francisco and loved getting stronger and leaner!)
So I tell all this to molly (a shorter version, of course) and while speaking about it, we both realize that maybe, JUST MAYBE, when God asks you to give up something, maybe he has something better for you.
All I know is... my expenses are now less each month and the niggling nudges (ha!) from the Holy Spirit are gone about those two things. And I'm happier. WHAT? Joy comes with obedience????
:)
(reprinted from my facebook page to share with you here)
