Tough Times Don't Last

I read a fact the other day about modern day family budgets. I really wish that I'd made a note of it when I saw it, because I didn't think I would have to quote it so soon in a blog post. Oh well.

The writer was pointing out that most families in the 1960s (the decade when I was born) still found life tough, however in those days most families had one family member working regularly full-time. In today's world, many families have to have both partners working, sometimes holding down two jobs, in order to make ends meet. I remember thinking - where have we as a society gone wrong? Is modern life really that much harder?

During the church meeting this past Sunday (which included the dedication of a child to God), we were reminded of exactly how much money it costs to bring up one child to adulthood. Over £200,000 apparently! See here.
 

Anyway, the other day I received an email in my inbox that continued to give me food for thought on this topic. It included the phrase:
 

"Tough Times Don’t Last, Tough People Do"
 

Isn't that a terrific way of looking at life!

If you’re discouraged - and let's face it, encouragement is a rare enough commodity nowadays - there are one or two things you can do to counter those feelings.

Let’s say your neighbour arrives home with a brand new car. One way to react is with feelings of desire and envy. Perhaps you are already working out ways to get a new car for yourself.

But there is another way. Be positive. Give thanks to God for the car that you already have, which meets your family’s current needs. Realise that you don't need the pressures of taking out yet another car loan.

It's your choice. So choose how to think about it. Get tough with your inner self, cut out the negative thinking, and get positive.

Are you bemoaning the fact that you never have enough money? Try being thankful for the money that you do get. Life would be so much harder if you didn't have that...

Is this situation too difficult? Don't give up. Think of it as a challenge!

But it's too much for me to bear... if only I had more money? Everything would be OK then... More money is not the answer, it's how you manage it.

And situations do change... if you can make the right choices and stick with it, you can outlast these setbacks. You can do it.

Think about it.