So it's official. I'm enrolled in medical transcription school. The course materials should arrive in a day or two, and then it begins. Eighteen months is the time allotted to finish the course, my aim is to finish it in less. My aim is to finish it (well, not at all shoddily) and get a job ASAP. I got a loan (a small loan, so no worries) for the program, and a little extra, because I was going to buy a computer. Right now money is really tight in the Dunlap house. Mrs. Debbi is a Biblical counselor, and summer is always a slump for counselors. Basically I'm not really getting paid at the moment. She's paying for insurance on my car, and she's been paying my bills, but any money beyond that is kind of here and there, whatever can be afforded. While it's been tough, it's been an incredibly good experience for me. I have a whole heap of money issues, all very much related to my dad. Anyway, I received my portion of the loan check on Saturday, and since decided that I didn't need a new computer. Mrs. Debbi actually gave me the laptop I currently use shortly after I moved in here. It was an amazing gift, very gracious, and far beyond what I could have ever even thought or hoped. But it doesn't have Microsoft Office on it, or an antivirus program - two things that are necessary for this program I am starting. This weekend I received a God-sent flash of common sense - why not buy the programs instead of a whole new computer? (I know, DUH!)

So now thanks to that flash of inspiration, I have been able to pay two months of my student loan payments (as Mrs. Debbi isn't able to do that during these tight summer months), pay one month of my cell phone bill, and set aside money for the cell bill and Daive's wellness plan bill for July. So all my bills until August are taken care of, which is a nice feeling. I got the serpentine belt replaced on my car, and a slightly overdue oil change. Also, I've purchased both programs I needed for my computer. A few extra things - walking shoes (less than $20, I might add), exercise clothes, two purses (I have a purse thing, which I figure is nicely balanced by the fact that I pretty much never buy clothes), and a few gifts here and there.

The point of this is to say that, seeing as how I just deposited the check yesterday, I have an alarmingly small amount of money left. I just can't seem to get my dad's voice out of my head - telling me how irresponsible I was with money, telling me how our financial problems were my fault (for the sisters: this would be during the later years in Jax). But, by the grace of God, I'm getting through it and over it. Buying two (possibly three, pending an as-of-yet still open ebay auction) purses, clothes for working out, two books, and paying vet bills is not excessive. It's really rather awesome to get to kind of observe what God is doing - how He is changing my heart towards money, and my attitudes toward myself about money.

Want to hear another awesome thing? There are these two amazing people God dropped into my life straight from heaven. They're the kind of spiritual family I was praying to find as I left mine in Korea (Adam, Beth, and Lis). We meet together once a week for dinner and discussion, centering around the Bible. It's a time that always encourages me, and always makes me think. It challenges my head and my heart. It's amazing. Anyway, this past Friday they gave me a card with a fairly large amount of cash in it - said God had laid it on their hearts to do for me. It spoke volumes to me, about a few weighty issues - namely love. This amazing couple is actually having a hard time financially right now as well. It's the whole widow's offering thing - they gave out of their poverty rather than out of their abundance (and I'm not comparing myself to the temple fund, just them to the widow). It's people like them that encourage me about the state of Western Christianity.

Anyway, that's where I am right now, at least financially. I'm so not used to being able to speak so freely in a blog - not that I thought I was so well-read before, but just not having control over who was reading. I'm sort of mulling over a post about where I am emotionally, but that will have to wait for a later date. Thanks for reading, you guys. I really love you all a lot!