Transparency

Free From Pretense or Deceit

**DISCLAIMER** This blog entry is about more than just our adoption. God is working on a lot of things in our lives!

I have been watching a lot of Pretty Little Liars lately. My coworker suggested it and I am now hooked. One of the most interesting things that I have learned from this show is how easy it is to get caught up in a lie. These 4 girls lie about some of the most ridiculous things like who sent them a text. If they could just be honest about 1 or 2 more things in their lives they would be in half the trouble that they find themselves in.

This leads me to the context of this post. Tim and I have spent the past 9 weeks (sometimes suffering through) Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace class. When we signed up in January, I thought we'd learn a little about how to make a budget. Well, as tonight was our last night I realized that I had learned more about myself than I ever did about balancing a zero budget or opening a Roth IRA.

The biggest thing that I got out of this class is the importance of being open, honest, and most importantly, transparent with those around you. At the end of each Dave Ramsey lesson you break up into small groups. Here you are surrounded by 8-10 strangers talking about your finances. The strange part was I never felt ashamed or embarrassed to share what was happening in our lives financially (and we had some doozies over these past 2 months). It was actually quite freeing to talk to others about some stressful events in our lives and the best part was we were always met with compassion and understanding.

God intended for us to live in community. This life was never meant to be lived alone. God wants you to have deep, intimate relationships with your family members and with friends. When you develop these intimate relationships, you can share with one another your struggles and your successes. How can you know to help someone you love if they refuse to share with you that they are struggling? How well do you know someone when they plaster a fake smile to their face and tell you they're okay? I feel like in America it is so taboo to share with others about our finances. Why is this? Why can't we talk about this? Wouldn't you rather help a friend buy some groceries instead of seeing them go on food stamps?

In the end, I feel more and more humbled each day. God has been slowly chipping away at both mine and Tim's pride. The Lord is showing me that I need to have open hands at all times. There will be seasons where my hands are open to give freely to those around me. There will also be seasons where my hands will need to be open to receive from those around me. I know from experience that it is painfully hard to accept financial help from others in a time of struggle. But the good news is I am not always in a place of needing to receive. It is one of the greatest joys to be able to give, and give big, to others that are in need.

So, I encourage all of you to examine your posture. Are you clenching your fists; holding onto something afraid to let go? Or are you willing to share whatever you have with those around you? This world is a scary place. Life is infinitely more peaceful when you let others in on your struggles and successes.