Yes, I Can Change...What Will You Do?

I am enjoying the wave of hope, dreams, and change on this MLK Holiday, the day before the Inauguration of our 44th president, Barack Obama. I am especially enjoying it because I already know I can change for the better and my change is still my personal responsibility.

• 4 years ago, I began experiencing a new powerful wave of personal change as I began paying off debt. Now with only a mortgage and an emergency fund, I am a more relaxed person. I can change.
• For the past 4 years, I only used a credit card to secure a rental car when my 14 year-old truck needed servicing and I paid for the rental with cash. I haven't used a credit card for anything else. I also paid cash for the car services. I can change.
• I am free to help others who really need a boost with cash and time because I'm not working like a dog to buy more stuff. I have the time to encourage others. I can change.
• By paying off debt and only paying with cash, I repositioned myself. I can receive more love, affection, joy, peace because I'm not frenzied with bills created from buying more stuff: My outdated stuff supports my contentment. A friend of a friend even gave me a very nice wooden dining table/4 chairs that match set (laughing) that was just sitting in her garage a couple of years ago. I would have missed out if I was of the mind of "needing" a new one. Change came to me.
• The never ending chase for stuff, status, validation from a world system unwilling to say enough opened too many doors for depression, anxiety, discontentment, bitterness to creep in. No more of that garbage! God changed me.
  
• I have more creative energy to learn and live a sustainable lifestyle and live fruitfully. I have more interest in learning about my global community because all of my basic needs are met without the danger of repossession or foreclosure. I am enjoying more of the stuff that money can't buy - as my pastor often restates. I don't need to impress anyone with what I know, who I know, what I own, where I've traveled, or what I drive. I only need to show how well I can love and meet any needs within my abilities that I see right in front of me. I have changed. Change feels very good to me.
  
• My conversations are more often centered around real life issues instead of media driven ideas or "one-up-manship". Later for that! I have changed.
• I learned to let go of the past and I begin each new day given to me by my Creator to move forward with an expectation in a process of positive results. Good riddance, stinkin' thinkin'. I have changed.
  
• I am looking forward to a day of living in a paid for house where I am coaching dozens in small groups who want a simpler life while kickin' back in my small living room. I'll be free to literally work for free, be the boss of me (under God, the CEO of my life, of course) and reach out to others in my community because I'll have enough. Collaboration will be key. Change is coming for me.
  
• I can still dream and push for excellence. I can still help a few people here and there along the way. I can still improve myself. I can change.

What will you do? To me, the greatest respect we can give Dr. King lies within what we will do with what we have right now. The greatest gift we can give ourselves in 2009 is pay off debt and tell the bailed out banks, "There must be a better way than borrowing from you!"
Freedom!