I really didn’t want to do it, we didn’t have to do it, and we could have easily justified not doing it. To be perfectly honest with you, what I really wanted to do was buy a new car.

I’m usually the strong one, but this past week I almost caved.  For a month or so I could quite literally smell the leather of every new car that passed me.  Every vehicle looked appealing because I’m driving an 8 year old mini-van with a missing hubcap.

Franklin’s quick to bring up our car’s faults (I like to refer to these as her “character”).  He will start car-shopping the minute I give the green light.

I’m typically quick to defend her.  She’s paid for and has never left us stranded.  She’s super spacious, gets fairly good gas mileage, and has kept her paint job intact.  In fact, I told Franklin several days ago, “I need you to defend the van (“her”) for me.  I’m about to cave!  I know you’d like nothing more but I really need you to be the strong one here!  Defend the van without laughing and make me believe you mean it even though I know you don’t!  I need you to be the good cop here!”

This summer we contracted with a private school that began using our curriculum in their PK, K, and 1^st grade classrooms.  We received payment this week.  Coupled with our Emergency Fund, we could have purchased a nice family vehicle, but we didn’t.

We have a plan.  We’re going to pay off the house (I say as I lower my voice an octave and boldy assert with as much resolve as I can muster).  I’m giddy as I anticipate walking into Wells Fargo, paying the last little bit, and shouting, “We’re debt free!”  And I’m equally giddy to see how God plans to use the income He frees up.

We’re pretty disciplined.  We’ve been intentional about our personal finances for many years, but handing that check to the teller today was really difficult for me.  It’s a picture of opportunity cost.  I intentionally chose to keep my mini-van for another couple of years as we gave the mortgage a hook to the jaw today.  If we’ve learned one thing in slowly walking out of debt it’s that Diligence Really Does Matter.

 As a teacher I’ve seen diligence bear fruit time and again.  A child who is diligent to practice a new skill will gain proficiency.  It will likely not happen over-night (and neither will losing weight nor dumping debt) and the sooner we help our children understand that the better.

I have countless memories of our oldest practicing for piano Guild auditions every Spring.  Each year his piano music required a little more skill than the previous year’s.  He is now a freshman at our local university and I am blown away when he sits down to practice piano.  My, how 12 years of diligence has paid off for Bailey.

How have you taught your children that things worth having in life will often require patience and hard work, diligence and dedication?