Blood is thicker than water.

*dramatic pause for effect*

BUT... money is thicker than blood.

First time I heard it, I thought he was just skeptical but now when I hear stories in line with that, I realised that there's some truth to the above said. At least for some.

I don't believe in being calculative when it comes to money matters be it with family or with friends and that's cos I abhor squabbling over money matters. It's repulsive and ruins relationships. However, I do recognise and respect that counting to the cents is not being calculative but merely a matter of principle for some. I feel that sometimes more harm than good is done when talks with loved ones revolves round money. (Eg. "Wah. Today I paid for this so tomorrow you must pay for that ah.") Summarised aptly in this Chinese saying "jiang3 qian2 shang1 gan3 qing2." Ideally, neither a borrower nor a lender be. (What irony, since my course of study is basically summarised into borrowing and lending.)

When I'm blessed and overflowing, I guess the next instinctive thing for me to do is to bless the people around me. (But of course I know to be discerning as to who's just there to take advantage.) Don't know if it's the same with the people around me but l.m.l would 'treat me to something nice when he gets his pay' and my twing would 'buy me ice-cream when she gets her pay.' I'm a spendthrift and that's a major flaw. I part with my money far too easily. But at least, I'm happy. <-Self-consolation indeed.

Here's to share what I think is the secret to managing finances:

KJV (Malachi 3:10): Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

In a nutshell, be blessed, honour Him with His due and be abundantly blessed. Also, remember to bless those around you 'cos when He pours His blessings, there'll not be enough room to contain it so you gotta give some of it away.

Very much like how I used to teach my Primary 3 kids that many things in life work in cycles. Take for example the life cycle, the water cycle, day and night cycle so on and so forth. I do think that blessings, sufficiency and abundance works in cycles too. To receive, to give and again to receive. Something worth pondering. =)