And I agree — if I need supplemental income, I can always do web development and/or graphic design. (I’ll still continue doing it anyway, on the side for fun, but if I run into a pinch I can do some for profit.) It’s nice knowing that I’ll be fine financially no matter what. (Well, unless a huge depression hits.)

As a librarian working for a State Library (admittedly in the area of developing and supporting internet-related technologies - but still on a Library salary) my wife and I have accepted that we’ll never be ‘wealthy’.

Of course I didn’t always accept that like you have. I even had a stint selling Real Estate (and was making double what I make now, but it was a horrible lifestyle).

That’s not to say that you can’t supplement your income with web-based business ideas. I’ve made my share of Adsense dollars with various websites, and with the number of projects you seem to be throwing together, I’m sure you can do something similar.

And even on a moderate income, as long as you follow the prophets’ counsel regarding living providently, you can still have a great life. On this sort of topic, I can highly recommend “Wanting More: The Challenge of Enjoyment in the Age of Addiciton” over at DeseretBook where you can pick it up for a measly $3.03!

That looks like a really interesting book (skimming through the first little bit). It’s now on my to-read list. :)

LOL, I have no doubt that I could be a millionaire if I wanted to. In fact, not that this really counts for much, but in high school I was voted most likely to become a millionaire. And I randomly ran into one of my old teachers at the Independence Day parade a month ago and the first words out of his mouth were, “Have you made your first million yet?”

It’s all hilariously ironic, considering my career choice. But I’m quite content with becoming a librarian, even (and especially) if it means penny-pinching for the rest of my life. I do want a regular, solid job, and librarianship is absolutely perfect for me — it’s stable, family-friendly, fascinating, and it’s even a great source of ideas for my various and sundry creative projects. I could have been a web developer, you know — that’s what I’ve done for the past 10 years — and I’d be rich, no doubt, and perhaps even happy (I do enjoy it), but it’s not the sort of life I want to lead. If I do anything like that, it’ll be on the side, at my own pace, for fun.

But I admit that telling my dates “I’m not going to work” would be worth it, seeing their reactions. :)

I really liked this book: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Science_of_Getting_Rich
for ideas about riches in Christian thought.

Actually, you could probably be a millionaire by the time you get out of college without too much effort, considering how much time you spend in your studies (from reading your blog).

And then you wouldn’t even have to be a librarian! You could tell your dates “I’m not going to work” and see how they like that.

Sixline: Oh, heavens, I don’t think I’m being too hard on myself. :) I acknowledge that I’m human and imperfect and still have an oh-so-long way to go before I do become perfect (and that will almost certainly be in the next life), and because I know the Savior atoned for my sins and mistakes and failings, it’s okay. The important thing is to let Him pick me up when I fall, and do my best to avoid stumbling in the future.

And part of that is having a holy ideal to work towards. I don’t expect to completely wipe unrighteous judgment out of my soul by tomorrow morning; it’s a process, and sometimes a very long and slow one.

Is “too much in a hurry to attain perfection” a bad thing? I don’t condemn myself for not being perfect yet — there has only been one perfect Man on earth — but I do think I absolutely must seek it with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. “Be ye therefore perfect.” The things of this earth are fleeting and are but for a moment, but the things of heaven will last into the eternities.

I’ve been thinking about your bow-holding-its-spring analogy. You know, the more I grow in the gospel, the more I find that being a disciple of Christ really is a yoke that’s easy to bear, a light burden. It’s not like a taut bowstring being held away from evil. It’s more like a blossoming goodness that fills space and time and just exists. Sure, it can be hard sometimes, but more often than not it becomes part of who you are and then it’s as easy as breathing or sleeping.

Besides, I have a duty to myself and to my God to ever be aware of what I need to work on so I can become more like God, more pure, more holy, more prepared to enter into His presence someday. It’s not fun to recognize my imperfections, to uncover my weaknesses, but it’s the only way to turn them into strengths. Covering things up makes us fear repentance. (And here uncovering my weaknesses only has to be between me and God.)

Time is running out, and if there’s something that gets in the way of my happiness, then yes, I’m going to seek it out and try to exterminate it. I’m in this to become like God, nothing less. Remember Eustace as a dragon in Voyage of the Dawn Treader? The scales must come off.

I don’t think I made my position very clear on the whole librarianship-induced poverty thing. :) Yes, I completely agree that it’s my responsibility as the head of my family to provide for my wife and children, and I have no intention of shirking that responsibility. (And if I ever did, President Hinckley’s talk in priesthood session would’ve fixed that. :)) What I meant to say was that I want a woman who wants to live frugally, who doesn’t worship money as her god. Do I plan on being poor? I don’t know. All I do know is that as long as I keep paying my tithing and offerings and take wise care of the money in my stewardship, God will watch out for me and my family. I have no doubt in my mind. (And if librarianship ends up not being enough to pay the bills, then I can always do web or graphic design, or program, or write, or any number of other odd jobs. I have no fear of being unemployed. But even if I didn’t have a broad-enough set of skills that guaranteed income no matter what, I would still trust in the Lord 100%.)

Phew, that was a long response!

Terrah: Mmm, that’s a good quote. And speaking of using one’s talents, it’s so liberating and life-giving that I stand all amazed at the beauty of it all. Giving of oneself to help others is one of the most incredible experiences life has to offer, bar none. Selfishness never was happiness. :)

Oh, I thought I’d share this with you. I heard it on my mission and it changed my life.

“Charity is the ability to separate the man from the thing he does.” - Hyrum Smith

Have a good one. :)

As far as the poor go, there’s a DISTINCT difference between poor in character and poor in moneys. Wise people will recognize it. Many people are poor in money. Don’t be too upset if a woman shows hesitation at the kind of money you will or won’t make. She’s just trying to find a husband who can care for her, very often in the same way her father did. Women seek out the kind of men their fathers were (or, sadly enough, weren’t.) Not that it appears you’re impatient or treating them fairly, but don’t hold it against them. Also look on the heart. Don’t change your standards, but don’t search for the perfect woman. They get close, but they don’t exist. (Sorry.)

As far as perspective on the parable of the talents, that was cool. Very cool.

The most important thing to remember about this whole issue is summed up perfectly by Dostoevsky, who said that “to love a person is to see him as God intended him to be”. Similarly, Marvin J. Ashton said that “charity is expecting the best of each other”. If our sole concern is loving those around us and if we ask the Lord to fill us with this love, we will then be able to view everyone “as God intended [them] to be”.