— Lynn Wehner

FIVE Ways to Use FIVE Minutes

Cultivating true wisdom in only minutes? Well, here’s a start anyway...

1. Crack open the Book of Wisdom — I mean, talk about stating the obvious!

2. Google “Quotations.” The page we found opened with a winner: “Never let a fool kiss you, or a kiss fool you!”

3. You Tube “Ronald Reagan” or “Winston Churchill” to find excerpts from their wise speeches.

4. Ask a grandparent about the way they would have solved a certain problem “in the old days.” Often the old wisdom is the best wisdom.

5. Say a prayer to the Holy Spirit for wisdom the next time you have to broach a tough topic with your kids!

Well said!

“The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil.”

— Cicero

“A word to the wise ain’t necessary; it’s the stupid ones who need the advice.”

— Bill Cosby

“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.”

— Mohandas Gandhi

‘How-To’ Tips

Wise Planning for Family Fiscal Freedom

Let’s face it, most of us are tightening our belts a bit with the rising costs of, well, everything! These days, it truly takes the wisdom of Solomon to know how to manage our income for all that we need, while being good stewards of God’s financial gifts. Phil Lenahan’s book 7 Steps to Becoming Financially Free lays out a solid spiritual foundation, then outlines astute, practical steps for managing money as a Catholic family. Book and workbook are $19.95 each at OSV.com; small-group study and materials are also available.

Here’s a brief summary of Lenahan’s seven practical steps …

Step 1: Be a “Steward of Providence”

“The most important financial decision you’ll make is committing to being a faithful steward of the gifts God has entrusted to you.”

Step 2: Assess Where You Are — Develop a Plan

“Unless you prioritize how your money will be spent, you’ll find that it will grow legs and run away.” It’s about “learning how to put together a budget and committing to living on one.”

Step 3: $2,000 Emergency Savings

“Set aside $2,000 into an emergency savings fund.”

Step 4: Eliminate Debt — Accelerate It!

“Until you eliminate your credit-card debt, you won’t be able to make progress with your plan, because too many resources will be swallowed up paying high interest charges.”

Step 5: Rainy-Day Fund — Six Months’ Expenses

“Setting aside six months’ worth of living expenses recognizes that there may be periods of transition or even illness that you’ll be confronted with.”

Step 6: Review Insurance and Estate Planning Needs

“It really makes sense that, at a minimum, you have a will. … It has also become important to have appropriate health-care directives as part of your planning — directives that honor the Church’s teaching upholding life.”

Step 7: Save and Invest With a Purpose

Savings is important both to meet your own future needs, and in order to “grow resources that you can invest in the lives of others.”

Through it all, our greatest wisdom lies in entrusting our lives to the Lord. Lenahan reminds us: “The most important financial decision you’ll make during your lifetime will be to recognize that all you have comes from God and that he is the sovereign of all things.”

Win! Win!

This issue’s prize is a double-matted framed Pope Benedict picture provided by CatholicToTheMax.com

Congratulations to last issue’s winner,

Lisa Seeber, Spaner, Wis.

How to win! Just participate in any of our “Homework” requests throughout the magazine, or send your name, postal and email addresses to Homework — see page 6 for contact information.

Good Question

My 5-year-old son was running through the kitchen to get to the back door, even though I had just lectured him about not running across the floor I had just mopped. He looked thoughtful for a second and then said, “Mom, if you didn’t want people to run across the floor when you mopped it, why did you have so many kids?”

The Dead People

Once when we were passing a cemetery, our 4-year-old, with an air of wisdom, said to our 2-year-old, “That’s where the dead people live.”

Simple Math

My son Andrew said one day, “Dad, I’m older than Jesus and God.” When we asked him what he was talking about, he explained, “You know, Jesus and God are one, and I’m 4!”

In a Name

My son’s name is a bit unusual, but well within the range of “normal.” Nonetheless, when a tour guide asked his name, he said, “Is that your family name?” My 7-year-old daughter leapt to his defense: “No, that’s his real name!”

Young Apologetics

One time we were swimming with friends of ours. When my friend noticed my scapular, she asked me what it was. My 4-year-old daughter replied for me, “It helps her be a better mom.”

­­Jesus Sighting

I had my 4-year-old son, Anthony, at the local YMCA and was filling out some paperwork when I felt him tugging on my jacket. He excitedly said, “Mom, you were right!” and, pointing to a picture of Jesus, he said, “Jesus really IS everywhere!”

Eureka!

When my husband was trying to teach my 6-year-old son about the Trinity, he used the imagery of the clover. He told him how even though there are three leaves it is still only one plant. My son enthusiastically said, “I get it!” He then clarified, “But God’s not a clover.”

HOMEWORK: Share your child’s precious words. See page 6 for contact information.

­ — Precious Words is compiled by Maria R. Ellis.

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