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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories OSF's 'Great Society' up for Kennedy Prize OSF taking applications for Green Show Lane closure on Medford's East Main starts Monday Since You Asked: Will the new county HHS building save the county money? Get Up & Go: Jan. 3 Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Laser strike on jet entering Medford delays flight Emergency services VIDEO: Wrap Up, week of Jan. 2 Man on parole for robbery arrested after crashing stolen truck Car crashes into Medford yard New Year's Eve Politics and Elections Councilman stirs online dust-up with anti-marijuana post State certifies recount showing failure of GMO-labeling measure Time running out for O&C funds GMO vote recount still shows little change Education Ashland schools to implement chickenpox precautions Traveling artist sets the stage for Ruch School amphitheater Ruch school class focuses on the natural environment Bethel Church helps families at McLoughlin Middle School Logos may offer students 'fifth year' at RCC or SOU Environment Monument expansion expected to increase tourism, protect resources Biologist resigns over LNG reporting failure Bird flu discovered in Winston backyard flock Jackson County holds back on enforcing GMO ban for now No fish, no funding for problem dams State News Oregon fans get married Rose Bowl parking lot Earthquake off coast shakes Humboldt County Stranded sea turtle recovers at Oregon aquarium Oregon minimum wage rises to $9.25 Storm brings snow, cold to West Nation - World Obama makes Maduro’s ‘insolent Yankees’ line harder to sell Obituaries Dianne Sarvis Marri Young-Wellbaum Severta Shipley Death Notices Jeannine Gardiner Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable In memoriam: 2014’s notable deaths Looking back: Do you remember 2014’s biggest stories? Sports Latest Stories Late 3-pointers again derail Panthers Ashland falls to Marist in MWL debut Cowboys run roughshod over Huskies NCU putback beats buzzer, sinks SOU Rondo comes back to haunt Celts Varsity 541 College Sports Cowboys run roughshod over Huskies NCU putback beats buzzer, sinks SOU Utes rout Trojans in Pac-12 opener Tyner’s Time It’ll be Ducks, Bucks in the ‘Spread Bowl’ Pro Sports Rondo comes back to haunt Celts Watt, Gronkowski unanimous All-Pro picks Rose, Bulls down Nuggets Capitals top Blackhawks 3-2 in Winter Classic LeBron to miss two weeks with injuries Community Sports Business Latest Stories Irrigation system upgrade gets a forum Ride & Drive: 2015 Honda Crosstour Positive Steps Rising prices bear fruit for local pear growers Dear Monty: Best start for 1st-time homebuyers Real Estate News Dear Monty: Best start for 1st-time homebuyers Rental owners group reports 2.48 percent vacancy rate People In Business Transportation Falling gas prices help spur travel at Medford airport Agriculture Rising prices bear fruit for local pear growers K-BAR ignites agriculture boom beneath Table Rocks Opinion Latest Other Views: Oregon's GMO battle is far from over Granlund cartoon: Palestine statehood bid Michelle Teheux: Lucky to be alive (and white?) Our View: Meeting in the middle keeps a mill open Michael Gerson: Clear choice, or clear trauma? Editorials Other Views: Oregon's GMO battle is far from over Our View: Meeting in the middle keeps a mill open Our View: Help clear the air for the new year Our View: Caves expansion worth the wait Other Views: Oregon incomes still lag behind Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor. Jan. 2 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 1 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 31 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 30 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 29 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Loved one chose death with dignity in Oregon Guest Opinion: Forest thinning means water for the future Guest Opinion: Suit threatens family farms and democratic vote Guest Opinion: SOU pool decision short-sighted Guest Opinion: It's time for biologists to let OR-7 go dark Lifestyle Latest stories Community blog: Get the New Year off to a Great Start Hobart Bluff offers top-notch views Fishing report: Jan. 2, 2015 'Wild' about hiking Churches start new year with messages of hope Food Community blog: Ring in new flavors with year's last appetizers Food for Thought: Tips for cooking when you have food allergies Food for Thought: Wintertime wining and dining Kitchen Call: The comfort of creamy soups Community blog: Baking contest finalists combine cookies, candies Home and Garden Dear Monty: Best start for 1st-time homebuyers Dear Monty: Can a rookie real estate agent be a good choice? Bathtub or shower: What’s best for you? Home Help: Home safety tips for a safe and happy winter season How NOT to install drywall Health Community blog: We Don't Have To Conspire Against Good Health HealthStyle: New year, new you Health Watch: Build up your glutes in the off-season Dr. Jeff Hersh: What's a monoclonal antibody? Dr. Murray Feingold: Have a happy and stress-free holiday Hiking Biking Faith Churches start new year with messages of hope (No heading) Churches, synagogs host seasonal events Bethel Church helps families at McLoughlin Middle School Milestones and Achievements Little Yaretzi is county's first baby of 2015 Local landowners see no public good in proposed pipeline Pear Blossom queen has open heart surgery Hundreds enjoy Christmas dinner, gifts at St. Vincent de Paul SinceYou Asked: SBA would work with Mt. Ashland Ski Area about loan Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Live Music in Local Clubs Generation Jones plays Paddy Brannan's Pete Herzog and Dennis Walker play 2Hawk Winery Paul Turnipseed Trio at Belle Fiore Jefferson State Choral Coalition presents 'Reason for the Season' Theater Camelot's 'Fiddler' is a charmer ACT presents reading of 'The Quality of Life' Meet the real Jacob Marley This Nutcracker ballet will have a superhero twist Plumbing the depths of meaning Music Live Music in Local Clubs Generation Jones plays Paddy Brannan's Pete Herzog and Dennis Walker play 2Hawk Winery Paul Turnipseed Trio at Belle Fiore Jefferson State Choral Coalition presents 'Reason for the Season' Community Events New Schneider Museum exhibits highlight First Friday Celebrate winter solstice with the Bad Film Society Tomaseen Foley's "A Celtic Christmas" returns to the Craterian Theater Stefan Baumann and Eugene Bennett highlight Third Fridays Dancing People Company celebrates the solstice Dining Jackson Creek Pizza Co. is a good downtown haunt Dobra Tea menu offers hundreds of brews Food for Thought: Wintertime wining and dining Coffee shops roll out holiday-inspired drinks Over Easy serves 'pop-up' brunch Sundays Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Laser strike on jet entering Medford delays flight ... Ashland schools to implement chickenpox precautions ... 2014 set weather records in the Rogue Valley ... Laser strike on jet entering Medford delays flight ... Ashland schools to implement chickenpox precautions ... 2014 set weather records in the Rogue Valley ... Marketta Gregory: Remind yourself what really matters Comment By Marketta Gregory More Content Now MailTribune.com By Marketta Gregory More Content Now Posted Dec. 29, 2014 @ 12:35 pm Updated Dec 29, 2014 at 12:36 PM By Marketta Gregory More Content Now Posted Dec. 29, 2014 @ 12:35 pm Updated Dec 29, 2014 at 12:36 PM » Social News I made a novice mom mistake a few years ago. I was out shopping with my sons and had the grand idea of stopping by a pet store just so the little guy could see some birds and look at the fish. Maybe we’d pick up some dog biscuits while we were out, I thought. Instead, my oldest son picked up a huge interest in a gerbil, an animal I have absolutely no interest in touching, let alone inviting into my home. Still, in a moment of insanity, I made a deal with Jessie: If he wanted the gerbil badly enough to save his allowance and do some research on how to care for one, I’d let him have it. He saved for about a month before he caved and bought several cheap toys — thank goodness. For his birthday, he got a battery-operated hamster and I got a furry reminder about budgeting, just in time for the new year. I’ve always made sure our bills were paid on time, but I’ve often traded our money for things I don’t even remember, instead of using it for what I really want, which is to live a generous, debt-free life. A life where my money choices are respectful of God, not wasteful. I know it can be done. One man paid off a $25,000 home equity loan in six months, said Mark Janosky, who taught people about finances at Hope Lutheran Church in Greece, New York. Another couple in his class got rid of credit card debt while living only on disability checks. “God talks more about money in the Bible than he does about faith,” said Janosky, who believes he should be a good steward of the money God has entrusted to him. “He teaches us through money how we need to be disciplined.” David Palermo, a certified financial planner, has taught the same Financial Peace University classes at Northridge Church in Rochester, New York. Time after time, he has seen debt go down and savings go up. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen. Here’s hoping it happens in all of our homes this year. Marketta Gregory is a former religion reporter who now shares her own journey of faith with readers. She lives in Rochester, New York, with her husband, their three young boys and one very vocal Pomeranian. To contact Gregory, email [email protected] or write to her at P.O. Box 12923, Rochester, NY 14612. You can also visit the Simply Faithful page on Facebook and follow her on Twitter at @MarkettaGregory. By Marketta Gregory More Content Now MailTribune.com By Marketta Gregory More Content Now Posted Dec. 29, 2014 @ 12:35 pm Updated Dec 29, 2014 at 12:36 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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