March 21, 2026

She makes plans for a field and plants a vineyard; she senses her gain is good and her lamp does not go out at night; she stretches out her hands to the distaff and holds the spindle – verses 16, 18, & 19….

Although it would be neat to have a vineyard and I don’t own a spinning wheel, I can still apply these verses to my life. Anything we do in planning requires careful thought and dedication. It involves a vision for what it is you’re planning as well as effort, patience, and perseverance.

In our day and age, many people find it easy to spend money as soon as they get it. I like to divide this into three sections: Monthly Payments, Savings, and Extra Spending. I don’t know why I love this so much but I do love budgeting. I hate bills but it has to be done so I might as well make the most of it. What makes it fun is planning for something to pay off or do.

Since our first home, I learned all about amortization schedules and have used it to our advantage as should everyone. I am so thankful our realtor taught me all about this. Most people pay their monthly mortgage, for example, and nothing more, but if you learn how to actually pay the principal off little by little, you go past the interest and can make a 30 year loan paid off in 10 years or less. Our first home, for example, making one extra payment a month, just on principle, was only $45.

For another home, I actually had the amortization down to a five year payoff on a 30 year loan. This happens when you move and put all the money made to the next loan and paying extra each month would have never happened had I not planned for it and said no to things that would’ve been fun in the moment but could cause financial stress. My husband even wondered how I did the amortization into the budget but he knows now he can leave it to me to plan it out.

Starting off with an amortization schedule with your first home is the way to go. The interest is what gets everyone stuck. If you are just learning about it here, then start now. Simply ask the bank to send you an amortization on your loan and they will send it to you on email just like that. Then, on each line, you will see the principle. If you add that amount to your mortgage, making sure you state that it is for the principle, you will be able to cross of two months or more of interest. It feels so good to cross off payments! It’s never too late to save yourself some money.

So this may not mean a mortgage for you but could be applied to anything in your life. Planning, goals, and a good work ethic are important qualities to have. If you don’t intentionally plan, you’ll never have the goals met. Also, in being purposeful, you fill your days with productivity so have little time for listening to or being a busybody nor will you have time to endlessly scroll. You will find yourself saying, “ain’t nobody got time for that.” Fulfillment comes not just from the end result but also from the growth of learning throughout the journey.

She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong – verse 17….

This could be mentally, spiritually, and physically I do believe. It is good to prepare for things to come. For instance when I have had surgeries in the past, I have made arrangements to have my blessings taken care of but it wasn’t until this last surgery that I made sure I was very prepared in every way and that included taking care of me.

Mentally
I had to remind myself that I could either wallow in self-pity while doing nothing but sleeping and falling into a rut, or I could seek guidance from the Lord on how to be most useful during this time of stillness. I’ve experienced several highly productive days, and feeling good certainly contributes to that. This included rearranging my bedroom before surgery to ensure everything was within easy reach. It’s essential for me to keep my days productive, which is why I’ve been focusing more on writing. Even if you find yourself unable to leave your room much, you can still make a difference. I also needed to remind myself that it’s okay to take breaks; I can set aside my writing and reading to simply rest.

Spiritually
I always need to ensure that I stay connected to God’s Word. Missing just one day can lead to a chain reaction, and before I know it, I find myself in a place of unhappiness. A joyful heart truly is good medicine. My entire outlook shifts when I take the time to spend with God. Give it a try! Regarding music, it’s been a month since my last surgery, and lately, I’ve been feeling a bit restless. Finally! I remembered to turn on the music. I prefer to listen to instrumental tunes while I read or write. I am also using this time to be able to spend more time investing into other’s lives (young adults, wives, and mothers) as well as share Jesus all over the globe.

Physically
I was making myself stronger through the years by working out and getting a strong upper body so that when time came again that I couldn’t walk, I would be able to do more with my arms. This does help a lot but one leg is getting all the workout, too, and it’s not always easy when you cannot put any weight whatsoever on the other so I need to make sure I take care of that leg and foot as well. I can also stretch, too, so my body doesn’t cramp up or get tight.

Important take aways to apply to our lives….

• Where have you been able to set goals, making the most for where your money is being spent?

• What areas of your life are you preparing for mentally, spiritually, and physically?

• What area of your daily routine would you like to replace with something that brings more contentment?

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Blessings,
Jennifer