Decision time!

I have the opportunity to take over mi amiga Ashley's lease from marzo to abril while she is out of the country. This short term sub-lease could turn into my own longer lease, if I decide I want to continue to stay there after abril. That is up in the air.


I have a lot to think about. 
But basically, the rent would be $425/mes moving up to $550 come May. 
Utilities are under $80/mes. 
I would also be able to us her vehicle and pay insurance and gas for it.
The insurance would be $40/mes.
Ashley said that she would give the landlady the two meses in advance and I could pay her [Ash] when she comes back to the States. 
Ashley is also willing to leave everything in the apartment, making it semi-furnished :) Which means kitchen items, a bed, a couch, and a desk. 


This pequeño, uno dormitorio (small, one bedroom) apartment is located downtown, a straight [well, diagonal actually] walk to el reunión lugar (the meeting place). In the heart of la ciudad (the city). Close to people that I could cultivate community with. <3


My thought process is a little mumble jumbled, but I need to decide whether I would like to do this or not by Sunday. I need to pray about it ALOT and really listen to the Lord to decide if this is something I should pursue. At this point, I feel that God is providing for me in all ways possible and that I should go for it, but I can't be sure yet. 


I'll be honest. The whole reason I thought of renting her place was because I have friends coming in marzo seis sexto por decimo (March 6th through 10th) and I wanted someplace for them to be able to stay where I wasn't intruding on anyone's personal space... I don't want this to come off the wrong way, but more than being independent, I just don't want to be a bother to someone. To me this makes sense.


While the rent isn't terrible, and Ashley said that I could pay her for it when she gets back to the States, I would need to find steady income in the form of anything really. I would have a vehicle to take jobs wherever, so I would need to line these up. and it will be much easier to do so with this vehicle I can use whenever I want, for the next two months. I am hoping that in these months I will find something more substantial than occasional babysitting - but I also know and trust that God provides and whatever he has in store for me will come.


There are so many things to think about in a situation like this, and I'm proud of myself for just not rushing into this with my eyes wide shut. I'm taking the time to think on it and pray for God's wisdom. I do feel like I'm being blessed immensely by God's provision for Ashley which in turn has meant provision for me. I don't know if I will take it though, because that is a lot to ask from Ashley. Time to pray pray pray!


To be able to not have to pay for this right now is a huge blessing that I have a hard time thinking about because of something my sister relayed to me that my mom said is wearing on my nerves. My mom thinks that I am just mooching off of people here [for instance living with the McCall's without paying rent]. She doesn't get this idea of ministry and mercy. She thinks I'm not working or providing for myself in the least, which is not true. It really bothers me that she judges my situation without even knowing what it is. : (


So that is where I am at right now. Decision time!

Setting myself up for Success

Today, ¡He cancelado una de mis tres tarjetas de crédito! [I cancelled one of my three credit cards!]

This is a BIG feat, and one that I am so glad to have accomplished. Even though this was the smallest of my credit cards, with respect to it's credit limit, it is the one I am the most glad to get rid of. This was one of those ridiculous ones where I was charged an extra amount of money to pay my bill. If I used a checking account, the charge was 7.95. If I used a credit/debit card the charge was 9.95. It was absolutely ridiculous. Eesh!

So now, it is no longer something I have to worry about! Praise Jesus. Now I only have two credit cards, as well as a credit account with Pay Pal. I am slowly working my way towards becoming debt free! YAY! 

It is worth mentioning, that one of my goals in the 23 year of life is to pay off all but one of my credit cards so that I can live free from the bondage that monthly payments bring. It's going to be a long road, but with the knowledge that I will have a job someday, I know that it can be done.

The next step, after credit cards is to work on paying off my student loans. I would like to pay these off quickly, as the thought of paying on these loans for the next 30 years is too daunting of a task and would extremely limit the things I could do. This sounds ridiculous but if I get a job where I'm making 30,000 - 40,000 I would like to put at least 12,000-16,000 towards loans a year. *I have about 40,000 in loans that I need to pay off, not including interest* That means i would be paying out 40% of my income to student loans. This also means that while I won't have the means to live extravagantly, I can also be comfortable in life to a point. I won't have the biggest house or the newest car, but I am definitely alright with these ideas.

And so it begins...

Hola, I have created this blog to highlight my 23rd year of living and to signify a new start.
I expect to eventually start blogging primarily in spanish, as that is the language I am striving to master this year.

This blog is here to:
celebrar crecimiento, el cambio, y un nuevo [y siempre cambiante] ver sobre la vida y lo que yo estoy aqui para hacer. (celebrate growth, change, and a new [and ever changing] view on life and what I'm here to do.)

Postings can include any part of life, the good, the bad, the ugly, and especially the bello.
While I won't candy coat life and it's ups and downs, I will find beauty, hope, and joy in all situations.
Even the really tough ones.

Goals for this año of my life are many:
To get rid of addictions and break the strong holds in my life.
To reduce, with the intention of removing, inhibitions that cause me to live a life of mundane outcomes.
To branch out and make new friends in a myriad of ways
       - joining a rec center
       - joining a bowling league
       - getting involved in the community
       - learning a new language
       - becoming a regular at an establishment
       - doing something [ie, line dancing] on a regular basis
       - going outside of my comfort zone...
To learn this language better daily.
A amar con todo mi corazón y to not hold back from being vulnerable.
Para speak what is in my mind and to not be afraid.

Praying radical prayers that I can find an amazing job, the love of my life, and lots of adventures.
Also that God will use me in the life of others and I will be the salt and light to the world.
Praying for boldness in speaking to others about Cristo and the beauty of what he's done.

*Español is bolded