Grouch

So I’ve been just a tad grouchy recently, and honestly, a lot of it has to do with cash flow.

We own a small business, a company of only two employees—-us. We’ve managed to fall into that age group where purchasing health insurance is a pricey venture. You would probably have a coronary if I told you how much our premiums and deductibles cost so I will spare you, since YOUR insurance may not be sufficient to cover such a medical disaster.

In addition, I just added up all the taxes I’ve written checks for in January alone—-and this includes one month’s federal payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, three months worth of payroll taxes to the state of MO, and our estimated personal taxes to the feds and MO on the non-corporate side of the equation. Our tax liability ALONE exceeded the income we brought in in January by 50%! And that’s BEFORE we purchase health, life, disability, homeowners, and car insurance. Before we pay our mortgage and tithe. Not that I’m complaining, you understand.

Oh, wait. I am.

In the past year or so, we’ve found collecting on the monies owed us to be a arduous task, whereas in most of the twelve years we’ve been running this business, we’ve only had occasional serious problems getting what was coming to us. Now, we’re made to feel like heels for requesting to be paid for jobs that were completed many months ago, and that just feels wrong.

What feels more wrong, though, is my lack of thankfulness for everything we have. And when I get like this, I have to go back to certain behaviors that have never failed to fill me with a humble gratitude, an attitude that I need to practice every single day, no matter what.

And so I iron. Ironing convinces me, quicker than any other discipline, that we have more nice clothes than any couple has a right to. There’s nothing “designer” in the whole mix, mind you, but we have outfits for any occasion that might come up, and who has a right to ask for more than that?

And then I cook. And when I cook, I use ingredients I find in my own pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. I challenge myself to make the most nutritious and tasty meals imaginable with items I already have in the house. I thank God, as I cook, for the abundance he’s given us, even if the abundance did not arrive this month. We then make it a point to tell each other how delicious our meals are, and how affordable, and how much less expensive than if we ate out.

And then I clean. I have inherited many beautiful antiques from beloved family members. There’s nothing like giving my great-grandmother’s pie safe a good once-over with Murphey’s Oil Soap and then maybe rubbing a nice coating of lemon oil into its grain to made me fully cognizant of the heritage I’ve been given. There’s nothing like changing the sheets on every bed, wiping down all the (old, but bravely hanging in there) appliances, and dusting cherished gifts from children now long grown to bring on an understanding of what it means to be truly blessed.

And then I take inventory of all the gift cards and Groupons I’ve got stacked up here. If I space out the spending of them, we could have one or two nice outings per month this year at restaurants, the dinner theater, and the movies, without spending a dime! We find ourselves becoming grateful because we have so much fun to look forward to.

And then I serve. Whether it’s my husband, The Moms, or a friend in need, putting someone else’s concerns ahead of my own is an automatic gratitude builder. I always forget that when I set out to serve, and it’s certainly not my motivation, but it nevertheless turns out to be true.

And then, after (or sometimes before) all that is said and done, I write. There is something so freeing about arriving at the end of the day and realizing you did the work God cut out for you. A huge burden is lifted when I get the words down on paper, when I move toward a goal of finishing a manuscript, and the lightness afterwards of a well-deserved sleep makes me thankful indeed.

I need to keep practicing gratitude. I need to ditch the grouchiness. And, for sanity’s sake, we might need to hire someone to do collections for us.

In the meantime, there are some really cute blouses in the ironing basket that I completely forgot I had. An entirely new wardrobe awaits, for which I am very thankful.

Posted by Katy on 01/26/11 at 10:58 PM

Fallible Comments...

Have you read Nancy Leigh DeMoss's book "Gratitude" Wow. I struggle with the money thing as with my husband being self employed we've mostly been at "famine" for 20 years. I struggle emotionally when the bank account gets low but there are other factors that make it hard as well. No insurance either - I am essentially uninsurable anyway. Life is tough and I have to remember that my God is soveriegn and in control when I have absolutely no control over anything. BTW - we got stiffed on a $40K Accts Receivable two years ago - meant we lost the house we were going to buy and move into. :-( Grateful that God has a better plan even though I cannot see it right now. Hang in there!
Posted by Susan Baganz on 01/27/11 at 01:31 AM
Susan, Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughtful comment! Your attitude is amazing, IMO. I am humbled by your active trust in a good God. Bless you!!
Posted by Katy on 01/28/11 at 10:16 PM
Small business owners often fail to understand the consequences of inadequate cash flow management until the harsh realities of business life kick in. Typically one significant occasion is when insufficient funds are available within the business to meet the business liabilities.
Posted by Algebra 1 on 03/03/11 at 06:53 AM
The phraseology victimized is tranquillize tempting and appreciatable. It is ofttimes proportion for me that I swan the fact as i cooperation. I am straightlaced thankful to you for the said
Posted by astrology software on 05/17/12 at 03:00 AM

Page 1 of 1 pages

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.

Next entry: The Legacy

Previous entry: Frozen Falls

<< Back to main


		more fallible attitude »

Personal blog of christian writer & fallible mom Katy McKenna Raymond in Kansas City, Missouri Katy is represented by Greg Johnson at WordServe Literary Read more Katy at LateBoomer.net Follow Katy on Twitter Follow Katy on Facebook 123 Recent Posts Try Becoming Brenda Starr Off Beat Scattered That’s It So I’ve Finally Signed With An Agent. Now What? The Spoon Sciatica Sweetheart A Woman’s Train of Thought Has No Caboose However much we own, we are all still living on borrowed time After all, when restaurants shrink portions, they don’t shrink prices. As with everything in life, balance is key. Slow down, you move too fast… Yeah, I know. I have issues. Search Advanced Search Syndicate Login E me at katy @ ngenius.com	Grouch So I’ve been just a tad grouchy recently, and honestly, a lot of it has to do with cash flow. We own a small business, a company of only two employees—-us. We’ve managed to fall into that age group where purchasing health insurance is a pricey venture. You would probably have a coronary if I told you how much our premiums and deductibles cost so I will spare you, since YOUR insurance may not be sufficient to cover such a medical disaster. In addition, I just added up all the taxes I’ve written checks for in January alone—-and this includes one month’s federal payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, three months worth of payroll taxes to the state of MO, and our estimated personal taxes to the feds and MO on the non-corporate side of the equation. Our tax liability ALONE exceeded the income we brought in in January by 50%! And that’s BEFORE we purchase health, life, disability, homeowners, and car insurance. Before we pay our mortgage and tithe. Not that I’m complaining, you understand. Oh, wait. I am. In the past year or so, we’ve found collecting on the monies owed us to be a arduous task, whereas in most of the twelve years we’ve been running this business, we’ve only had occasional serious problems getting what was coming to us. Now, we’re made to feel like heels for requesting to be paid for jobs that were completed many months ago, and that just feels wrong. What feels more wrong, though, is my lack of thankfulness for everything we have. And when I get like this, I have to go back to certain behaviors that have never failed to fill me with a humble gratitude, an attitude that I need to practice every single day, no matter what. And so I iron. Ironing convinces me, quicker than any other discipline, that we have more nice clothes than any couple has a right to. There’s nothing “designer” in the whole mix, mind you, but we have outfits for any occasion that might come up, and who has a right to ask for more than that? And then I cook. And when I cook, I use ingredients I find in my own pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. I challenge myself to make the most nutritious and tasty meals imaginable with items I already have in the house. I thank God, as I cook, for the abundance he’s given us, even if the abundance did not arrive this month. We then make it a point to tell each other how delicious our meals are, and how affordable, and how much less expensive than if we ate out. And then I clean. I have inherited many beautiful antiques from beloved family members. There’s nothing like giving my great-grandmother’s pie safe a good once-over with Murphey’s Oil Soap and then maybe rubbing a nice coating of lemon oil into its grain to made me fully cognizant of the heritage I’ve been given. There’s nothing like changing the sheets on every bed, wiping down all the (old, but bravely hanging in there) appliances, and dusting cherished gifts from children now long grown to bring on an understanding of what it means to be truly blessed. And then I take inventory of all the gift cards and Groupons I’ve got stacked up here. If I space out the spending of them, we could have one or two nice outings per month this year at restaurants, the dinner theater, and the movies, without spending a dime! We find ourselves becoming grateful because we have so much fun to look forward to. And then I serve. Whether it’s my husband, The Moms, or a friend in need, putting someone else’s concerns ahead of my own is an automatic gratitude builder. I always forget that when I set out to serve, and it’s certainly not my motivation, but it nevertheless turns out to be true. And then, after (or sometimes before) all that is said and done, I write. There is something so freeing about arriving at the end of the day and realizing you did the work God cut out for you. A huge burden is lifted when I get the words down on paper, when I move toward a goal of finishing a manuscript, and the lightness afterwards of a well-deserved sleep makes me thankful indeed. I need to keep practicing gratitude. I need to ditch the grouchiness. And, for sanity’s sake, we might need to hire someone to do collections for us. In the meantime, there are some really cute blouses in the ironing basket that I completely forgot I had. An entirely new wardrobe awaits, for which I am very thankful. Posted by Katy on 01/26/11 at 10:58 PM Fallible Comments... Have you read Nancy Leigh DeMoss's book "Gratitude" Wow. I struggle with the money thing as with my husband being self employed we've mostly been at "famine" for 20 years. I struggle emotionally when the bank account gets low but there are other factors that make it hard as well. No insurance either - I am essentially uninsurable anyway. Life is tough and I have to remember that my God is soveriegn and in control when I have absolutely no control over anything. BTW - we got stiffed on a $40K Accts Receivable two years ago - meant we lost the house we were going to buy and move into. :-( Grateful that God has a better plan even though I cannot see it right now. Hang in there! Posted by Susan Baganz on 01/27/11 at 01:31 AM Susan, Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughtful comment! Your attitude is amazing, IMO. I am humbled by your active trust in a good God. Bless you!! Posted by Katy on 01/28/11 at 10:16 PM Small business owners often fail to understand the consequences of inadequate cash flow management until the harsh realities of business life kick in. Typically one significant occasion is when insufficient funds are available within the business to meet the business liabilities. Posted by Algebra 1 on 03/03/11 at 06:53 AM The phraseology victimized is tranquillize tempting and appreciatable. It is ofttimes proportion for me that I swan the fact as i cooperation. I am straightlaced thankful to you for the said Posted by astrology software on 05/17/12 at 03:00 AM Page 1 of 1 pages Commenting is not available in this weblog entry. Next entry: The Legacy Previous entry: Frozen Falls << Back to main


copyright 2011, ngenius media inc.

Personal blog of christianwriter & fallible momKaty McKenna Raymondin Kansas City, Missouri

Recent Posts

Search

Syndicate

Grouch

Personal blog of christian
writer & fallible mom
Katy McKenna Raymond
in Kansas City, Missouri