I have been having some irritating stomach issues lately. Brace yourself for TMI. It is the kind that makes you NOT want to stray far from a restroom. I think they call it IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. As I understand it, every one’s body reacts differently to stress and this is one of them. When I need a remedy, I usually call my mom who knows some healthy natural ways to deal with those kinds of things.

“Go get you some yogurt and eat it regularly for a few days,” mom said. I went straight to the grocery store and found the yogurt section. I looked and immediately picked up the four-pack, thinking that the bigger pack would be the better deal. Then I glanced at the price of the two-pack. The two-pack was a $1.50 and the four-pack was $4.00. I am not great at math but even with my limited math skills, I could immediately tell that buying two, two-packs would be cheaper than buying one four-pack. That messed me up because I always thought buying bulk was the better deal. It makes me wonder how many times I have been taken for a ride by not slowing down and counting the cost.

The four-pack yogurt was double plus a buck. It would not have broken the bank to get the four-pack but over a prolonged period, it could become very costly. How often do we assume we know the price of something and fail to do the math and count the cost? I think we probably do it with many things in life.

Failing to give your child undivided attention once will not break them but failing to do it consistently over the long haul will be very costly. Failing to discipline a child over one incident will not mess them up but failing to discipline a child over a prolonged period carries a huge cost. Failing to be lovingly, sensitive toward your spouse once will not break the marriage but being insensitive over a prolonged period may cost you your marriage. Failing to be frugal with your finances once may not break the bank but failing to be frugal over the long haul will cost you big.

It is easy to live a grab and go life without taking time to count the cost. How often do we get so busy doing life that we fail to slow down, do the math and count the cost of our actions or lack of action? Without taking the time to count the cost, I would have made a purchasing decision with the yogurt based on my assumptions. My assumptions were wrong. If I had purchased the four-pack, not only would I have paid double the price, which might be expected when you double the size, but also I would have paid a dollar more.

If we take time to do the math and count the cost of our decisions in life we may find they are costing us much more than we know. Is there something that you are doing or not doing consistently that is costing you much more than you realize. If I decided to buy one four-pack of yogurt a week, the first week would only cost me $1.00 more than expected. Over an entire year, it would cost me $52.00 more than assumed. Over ten years it would cost me $520.00 more than I thought it would. Do you see the affect of failing to count the cost over a prolonged period?

If we use that same train of thought with our kids, how does it look? Failing to count the cost in our relationship with them for a week will have a negative affect but is recoverable. Unfocused parenting for a year is dangerous but over ten years, it will cost you and your child more than ever imagined. Do the same math with your marriage. I think you will find that you will not need to multiply the costly affect of being insensitive to your spouse’s needs, over ten years because the marriage probably will not make it that long.

In ten years, I would have lost $520.00 by not slowing down and counting the cost of what I was doing in my yogurt purchase. Failure to count the cost of damage to the most important relationships in our lives by not slowing down and giving them the love, time and sensitivity they need, will in the end cost us far more than we ever imagined.

On a positive note, by slowing down, counting the cost and making the right decisions in those same relationships, we can experience a compounding affect that we will be wonderful. The result will be stronger, more loving, happier, healthier relationships with those we love the most.

2-Pack Yogurt $1.50

4-Pack Yogurt $4.00

2, 2-Pack Yogurts $3.00

1, 4-Pack Yogurt $4.00

There are two ways to buy four yogurts. The “Grab and Go” for $4.00 or the “Take it Slow” for $3.00. With one of them, you have to slow down and count the cost and with the other, there is more to be lost. There are also two ways to live. One will cost you more than you want to pay but the other is the best way. Sloooooooow down and count the cost.