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Shalom De6~
The part of your posting that I wanted to reply to you deleted; however, I trust you will take the time to read my lengthy post to you.
Although I have never encountered a situation like yours when I was growing up (For me, I found it a pleasure to be able to help my parents out financially when deemed necessary) I do have relatives who've always had money problems, issues and drama.
In reading your posts and reflecting back on my relatives, I can truly say that the basis of their financial woes was due to the parents non-existence relationship with the Lord from which to establish basic, biblicial principals for money management and stewardship. Could this also be the case within your family?
In fact, looking back, not only did my relatives (and still continue to) have money issues, they have passed it down to their children and to their children's children until now, it is no longer an issue of financial ignorance but one that is a generational curse!
You however, can begin now to break what looks like the beginning cycle of financial carelessness by understanding the basic concepts of money as a medium of exchange and by DECLARING the WORD over the money you've been entrusted with to be a good steward over.
In declaring, APPLYING, and standing on the WORD with your money, it will require you to move into a deeper level of comprehension---understanding that not all money that comes into your hands is necessary YOUR money or for YOU. The Lord will move money through you to assist and aid others. Granted, if your parents are gambling and spending the household finances away on foolish things, no, the Lord isn't expecting you to become their cash flow support system that enables them to live a life of debts---(the devil is a liar)---but as a rule of thumb, with money being a tool (that's all it truly is), and as you become comfortable in knowing that everything you need comes from our Heavenly Father, and that all your supplies are met according to Philippians 4:19, you will find yourself having to release a LOT of what you thought was YOUR money...you will become a conduit in which money is to flowwwwwwwwwwwww because you will have become a good steward, one in which the LORD can trust to hear His voice and obey His directions concerning your giving (but you have to know His voice).
***Do you have a youth leader within your congregation that you can disscuss this matter with, or does you pastor conduct financial principals workshops or teach money stewardship from the pulpit?***
Have you ever heard of the money management author Larry Burkett (recently went home to be with the Lord). He has excellent books for children, teens, and adults concering money management from the WORD with sound scriptual references...none of that name-it-claim-it/blab-it-grab-it stuff I've seen people focus on. His books are easy to read, follow and apply and the results are long lasting.
Open up the Savings Account--hence, the word SAVINGS. After opening it up, set a short term goal called My Senior Goal. Write the goal down (you can create a poster from cut-out pictures from Seventeen, Essence Teen, and/or YM Magazines to help you illustrate your goal), then create a montly budget to go along with your Senior Goal. This will become a PURPOSE with an OBJECTIVE that will hold you accountable to saving and will serve as a visual aid to help your parents see you through your Senior Goal without adding arguement (remember, you want to be mindful of your speech and tone of voice towards your parents...don't forget the commandment to HONOR them).
Lastly, go into your senior year looking forward to the accomplishments that will be longer lasting then the temporal senior activities held by your school. Set your senior goals on scoring at least 1200 & 25 on the SAT/ACT, producing the finest entrance essay for college admissions, narrowing down your colleg choice to five schools and then visiting them, checking out FASTWeb daily for upcoming scholarships, tweeking those scholarship essays, getting those letters of recommendations NOW, developing your leadership skills on campus and within your community (looks good when applying for those scholarships)...see, you have far to many things to fill your senior year with besides worrying about money issues. What has happend over the summer has happened, get over it---that's life.
You can't sweat the small stuff...and believe me IT'S ALL SMALL STUFF!!
By resting in the Lord and giving the situation over to Him, He will walk you through all things with joy...so enter this year ready to enjoy it....'04 is yours!
Shalom~
Shalom08
AKA - TUO....ooh oh!
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