And Pretty Soon My Heart Was Singing...

It has been a physically and emotionally charged week for me ~ but in a good way. Really. Hang on...this is gonna be a bit of a ride...

Through several of my amazing blogging friends I am walking with on this journey I have been introduced to Dave Ramsey. For those of you unfamiliar with Mr. Ramsey, he is an in-your-face-I'm-gonna-help-you-get-your-$&!^-together-if-it-kills-me kinda guy. Subtle...just the type I get along great with.

Anyway, I have shared in the past how I have been working to clear out "stuff" and get my financial house in order. And if I do say so myself, I am doing a really great job. But the time has come when I have to realize that stuff is stuff and nothing more and would I rather be out of debt or have more stuff. The outta debt option sounds really good to me...so began the soul-searching.

One of the reasons Dave Ramsey has worked so well for me is he admits his knowledge comes from the Bible...the answers are in scripture. Neither a lender nor a borrower be, you can't serve two masters, etc. This really got to me. If I am so busy serving the creditors in my life, my energy can't be directed where it should be. Enough said.

So I came home and started listing "stuff" on Craigslist. And it began to sell...quickly. I was happy and figured I was on the right path, but I needed to look at the big stuff in my life that was serving no other purpose than to have stuff. Then my heart kept tugging towards one specific "stuff."

In the beginning of the year I shared a post about my uncles. One of my uncles, Uncle Davey, has always held a special place in my heart. He was a free-spirit who never had children of his own but thought his nieces and nephews were the living end. We always shared a special bond as Uncle Davey was also my Godfather and it still hurts that he passed away too soon and too far away. That being said...

In my possession was Uncle Davey's 1968 Triumph motorcycle he rode cross country back in the early seventies. He came back to New York, dismantled the bike, and left it in my grandparents basement for 15 years. Then it moved to my Uncle Peter's basement. Then it came to mine. This bike has not run in over 40 years...we don't even have all the pieces to it. But I would never let it go. It was his...he touched it...he sat on this seat...his hands were on these handle bars.

To this day whenever I hear Bob Seger's Roll Me Away I think of my Uncle Davey. There is something about this song that makes me cry just thinking of my Uncle riding down the highway on this bike, his hair flying in the wind, his spirit soaring. But Dave Ramsey's nagging helpful voice kept whispering...this bike is not your Uncle. He is in your heart...this is a bunch of metal.

I placed the ad on Craigslist and immediately got a reply. A really nice young man was really excited to see the pieces of this bike...he has been looking for something just like this for a winter project. Within 24 hours he was at my house and he bought the remains of the bike. Come to find out, he lives 10 minutes away from me. When I told him the story of the bike, he promised to bring it by when he has it running so I can see it. I felt like my Uncle Davey would be proud of me for knowing when to let go and for letting someone else receive such joy for my doing so.

When I returned to the house after the transaction, I began sorting through a bunch of CD's my brother gave me to sell in a yard sale. And I couldn't believe it. In the first stack of CD's I picked up was Bob Seger's Greatest Hits...the very first song listed was Roll Me Away. So as you read this know I am crying in memory of my Uncle and in the knowledge he is walking right alongside me to my new debt-free life. Both he, and Dave Ramsey, would be proud.

Thank you, You Tube!