You’d have to be a hermit living in the deepest woods not to know that our nation is suffering in many ways. The economy stinks. The unemployment rate increases significantly every day. The nightly news is even more depressing than it once was because people are engaging in more criminal behavior just to put food on their table.
Many financial gurus have analyzed the data to death. What are they really gleaning from it? Rather than admit we all had a part in this economic downturn, many are pointing the finger of blame on the former president, the banks, and the person who handed them a pink slip. Very few are admitting that America sowed the seeds of excess and now we are reaping the consequences. The sowing-reaping principle has been around since the beginning of time.
Most Americans expect a quick fix. This is a very unrealistic expectation. Farmers don’t plant (sow) a seed one day and expect a full grown plant, ready for harvest, the next. Many are counting on the bailout to get us back to “normal.” Isn’t “normal” what got us in trouble in the first place?
Perhaps we should take this time of uncertainty to determine the difference between our wants and needs. Maybe instead of putting our latest want on the credit card, we should save and pay cash for it. Suppose we pay off the debt we already owe instead of incurring more. There are many things we could all do to make things better instead of complaining about how bad things are.
I would love for you to comment about how you and your family are adapting to this unstable economy. Maybe we can learn some new ways of thinking from each other!
While you’re here, vote on your favorite Bible character (to the right). THANKS!
I’ll go first: My family has been impacted by the decline in the housing market as my husband is a mortgage banker. It’s definitely caused us to evaluate our finances and spending habits. We’ve adjusted our budget, cut out the “extras” and had to make tough decisions between the things we want and the things we need. My boys have had the hardest adjustment to this new way of thinking. Perhaps because they’ve bought into the indulgence line of thinking, too.
1 comment
Jeremy
February 9th, 2009 @ 3:53 amNice site, definitely some real substance here.
Being a missionary in the states has proved to be even less lucrative than I originally imagined. Our western culture is so much focused on foreign missions that, I’m afraid, some of us local guys have been passed over.
However, even in these tough financial times we are taken care of. It may seem unconventional even scary on paper still, somehow, all of our needs are met!! We’ve felt the sting just like the majority of American’s today but our response is a simple one, to stand.
The temptation is to get back into the work force “forget this!! I’m going with something with more stability”. Not that being a “tent maker” is out of the question, we have to learn to be content in every situation like Paul. There’s something else below the surface, a whisper if you will. It calls on me to trust in myself, to believe that the paper tells no lies.
The truth is, that everything has always come from Him and always will. So we will stand on THE truth, to trust in it, believe in it and rest in it.