Can't Keep Up

Something has been on my mind the last few days.  I will do my best to articulate my thoughts, but this will be a more 'stream of consciousness' post than most, as I am on the front-end of my thinking on the subject.

Recently, I was with an elderly couple (not from our church).  They were simple people, retired, living I am sure on Social Security.  The home they lived in was a nice home, but it was in complete disarray.  The carpet had stains.  Stacks of stuff all around.  The thought occurred to me:

They just can't keep up.

From there, I opened the new Readers Digest, where the first article was about a family, what we would consider a very average American family, that had gotten under the snowball of debt.  A few medical emergencies, a car engine needing replacement, college debt.......normal stuff had incrementally piled up on them.  It got out of hand and the snowball gained momentum.  Now they were facing losing their home.

They just couldn't keep up.

This morning, I opened the paper as I do each morning as I eat breakfast.  The headline read "Where Are We Headed?"  Congress is holding special meetings this week to try to figure out how to get our nation out of the economic crisis created by out of control debt and bad lending practices.  It talked about how incredible it is that all of the nation's investment banks are now gone.  They were unable to service their debt and could not find cash to keep afloat.

They just couldn't keep up.

I know that this stuff can be a real bummer and most of us would rather not think about it, as it just causes needless worry.  But I do think it is shameful to not THINK and REFLECT, as that is the only way you don't keep repeating history again and again and again. 

The real question buzzing around my mind is "What do WE do?" As believers, with so many needs around us, ie, the elderly who cant keep up their yards, their homes, their cars....the single moms who cant keep up.....on and on and on.....are we really AWARE of these??  Or do we just stick our head in the sand and hope it all goes away?

Again, just thinking as I drove back from dropping Tory off to school.  I got home to my desk and noticed how many emails I had, and how though I try to manage my email and keep my inbox to a manageble level, that level just keeps getting higher and higher. 

Small matter, but I believe a microcosm of modern life, where the pace is too much, and many just drop out, as they really can't keep up.

I am an optimist, and believe we have to keep our attitude up, as that is where the spiral downward begins.  But we also need to face reality:  We need to somehow simplify.

To happier thoughts...while tackling the tough issues!! :)

Enjoy your Tuesday,

PB

Comments

[Carolyn]

One of the best quotes we heard at Bible College when we moved to Pensacola was this: "Live Simply So Others Can Simply Live." Leaving Portland behind with the big fancy house and the big debt was truly liberating. When we learn to live on less we have more to give. Less is More. Truly challenging when the world shouts an opposite message.

[David Bixler]

Good thoughts, Pastor Bobby. With the shape of the economy, it is time that Christians in America call upon the Lord. Jeremiah did in Jeremiah 33:3. We should be praying for God's intervention in this crisis. God is our provider.

[Becca]

Those are good thoughts. I know we've been thinking along these lines, as have several of my "friends" in the blogosphere. With enough of us putting our brains and actions toward a real solution, maybe we can come up with a plan!