Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Sacred Perspective


When you stop to think about it; there are things in life that just need a sacred perspective to change our interpretation of the day.
The Mr. and I have almost doubled our income in the last few years. Yet I often look around and think, “where’s the money going?” It doesn’t feel like we’re living twice as easily. This is the flesh perspective. It’s the nature of man interpreting life.
We’ve been gonna-get-a-new-stove for a few months now. It seems that just when we have about enough money put back something happens and there goes the stove. Drains in the basement backed up; $$. Senior pictures; $$. Winter retreat ski trip for Mac; $$. Mac's ongoing health issues;$$. The Mr. has creeping crud and goes to the docotr; $$. Jay's food for his Celiac diet; $$. Some lotsa $$ and some just a little more than budgeted $$ but it feels like our bank account is hemorrhaging.
Friday afternoon as I’m leaving work Mac calls my cell phone to tell me his steering wheel is “locked.” So the Mr. and I each head toward the school to figure out what’s up. Ends up with a tow bill and a repair bill in the hundreds.
Another week without the new stove.
It’s frustrating, I’ll be honest. I feel like we should be past this approach to finances. Makes me feel aggravated and wondering where the money is going.
Then I stopped to think about it.
Mac’s truck needs repair for one major reason. Mac has a truck.
A few weeks back Jay’s car needed repair for the same reason; he has a car.
And the Mr. has a new Focus and in a few months I’m turning in my Expedition for a new vehicle.
We have four cars.
That is the sacred perspective. We have four cars. We have so much. That’s where the money is; into those four cars and ski trips and college educations and senior pictures and, and, and...
Some of the money is wasted and some invested wisely.
The point is; we have car repair bills because we have four cars.
My flesh says I am burdened. The sacred perspective says that I am blessed.
When the drains in the basement back up it’s because I have a home.
When my son needs a blank check for books it’s because he’s going to the University of Michigan.
When my alarm clocks rings at 4:30 it’s because I have a job.
When my son needs money for the ski trip it’s because he’s healthy and strong and whole and he can ski.
Jay's food, Mac's doctor's visits, Dean's creeping crud because I have a husband and two sons and an intact family.
And when Mac’s truck needs to be towed it’s because he has a truck.
And when I learn to thank God that he has a truck to be repaired and I have the money to do it; I’ll be a little closer to a sacred perspective.

Psalm 84:2-4
My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home ,and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house ;they are ever praising you. Selah

7 comments:

Kell said...

Love the pic of Ian's twin!

I know the feeling of wondering where the money has gone. Seems we're always broke.

mike s said...

I know exactly what you mean about where the money goes. I went from $50,000+ a year to nothing and believe it or not Im happier. when the money was there I blew it or tried to stay in competion with the neighbor, now Im living on faith and so far ive had enough work to take care of what I need to, and Im happier living withoout the excess. It seems that god wants me have just what I need, and Im happy with that.More is not always better, its all about what you do with what you have.

Deb said...

When I was fretting over whether I was supposed to buy a house -the Lord said, "Debbie (at that time in my life, people called me 'Debbie') do I take care of the sparrows?
Yes, Lord.
And aren't you more important to me than the sparrows?
Yes, Lord --what's Your point?
...then I opened up the Bible to that verse --the sparrow has found a house...

then....a few years later - the Lord required that I give up that house. I was devastated.

But today --He has blessed me with a home far superior to the one He required me to give up.

Some times we have to let go of what's in our hands in order to receive the next blessing.

I'm not sure what this has to do with your post... but it's what came out when I started typing.

We are indeed blessed beyond measure --and so often take it for granted.

tina fabulous said...

like my man biggie said... mo' money, mo' problems.

i choose to believe that God keeps the hardships away until he knows i have the money to pay for the chaos they create.

Margie said...

i had my home for about 2 months, the basement flooded on Mother's day, do you know how hard it is to find a plumber on Mother's day? I did. As i was cleaning the whole mess up (the only thing i lost was my Christmas tree because I am a rubbermaid box freak) i just thought, if I didn't have this house, it never would have flooded... how blessed was I?

Mike Edwards said...

I'd always read the words of Jesus--Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven--as pertaining to only the extremely opulant stars we watch on VH1 specials. Or in the case of some older readers--lifestyles of the rich and famous.

However, it was pointed out to me recently that driving a car, using a computer, sleeping with a blanket while NOT on the floor, when looked at globally--makes me RICH.

I am the rich person that is hard to get into the kingdom because I've got so much stuff. Thanks for helping me remember I need to shrink down to get through the eye of the needle!

Jada's Gigi said...

Amenaginsistah! I often think the Lord provides those lovely unexpected windfalls...because He knows a major financial disaster is jsut around the corner and we're really gonna need it...lol...Several time s this past year we were blessed with extra hundreds of dollars unexpectedly...wouldn't ya know it...the youngest had huge disasters immediately therafter, car accidents, traffic citations, hospital stays, layoffs....well...we do have kids...and we are So blessed to have them...even if they do cost us every penny...:)