What would you say is our society's greatest stress? Is it the oil spill? Is it the wars we are fighting? Is it the fact that we have to work to make a living?
Well, I believe our greatest stress today is debt; there is too much of it and it is getting worse. People are stressed out with real money problems. Credit cards are the downfall of too many people. Credit cards have high interest and they enslave people.
Whatever happened to the principle "if you don't have the money, don't buy it?" There was a time when people made do with what they had until they had the money to pay cash. Did you ever hear, "make do, wear it out or go without?" That's not how it is anymore. People just charge it and worry later. Debt is a big stress factor to our society.
Yes, from our government to the ordinary household, we are in debt over our heads. Everything is easy to buy and hard to pay back. And, this stress is affecting everything. It affects marriages, business, our government, our taxes and our very way of life.
The answer is to learn to live within your means. And this means to live within or under your income. It's not how much we earn, but how much we spend on non-essentials. How much do people buy that is really needed to live? Everyone complains about how hard things are today, but go to WalMart or other stores and people are filling their carts with junk. Or, look at all the new cars on the road. We have become consumers more interested in having stuff than living stress-free lives.
The problem is that people have no emergency funds or extra savings if unexpected things happen.
For instance, repairs for the car or the washing
machine, or a new roof for the house, or the furnace needs replaced. The emergency funds should be at least $2,000.
Then, there is retirement savings or just savings. We are all going to be too old to work some day. Savings and investments are essential to
prepare for the future.
To live debt free takes planning and discipline. It also takes sacrifice, but the results are well worth it. Just think of the relief from stress and the joy of being in control of your finances. The Bible has a great verse that says: "Dishonest money dwindles away but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow." Proverbs 13:11
There is another verse in 2 Peter 2:19, "For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him." Debt has become the master of far too many people. They are hopelessly slaves to lenders and credit cards.
The good news is that there are people who have wised up. Their goal is to be debt free or they are already debt free. Why? Because they made a choice to work the extra job, stop the credit cards, pay off debt instead of making new debt and making the old things do, or do without. They are the winners in the end. They have killed the giant of debt. It looks like they may have less, but they have more. What they have is lack of stress.
More and more people are seeing the light. Sit down and look at the money you would have every month if you were debt free. Then pick a plan and go for it. You can do it; thousands have.
Chaplain Bud
The Christian Church at Cogan Station
(570) 998-2989
Whatever happened to The Good Ole American Grit? All we hear today is woe is me. People are complaining about their income, lack of work, the oil spill in the gulf, fighting wars in two countries, and on and on it goes.
This country has always been a can-do country. In the 1930's, we had the great depression. There was no work and people stood in bread lines for hours. The Midwest blew away in a dust storm because of the worst drought in history. People migrated to California by the thousands looking for work, only to end up in work camps that starved them and made them slaves.
Those were really hard times. But, we survived and overcame. Then in the 1940's we were again in a war for our lives. We were attacked by the Japanese and we were helping Europe fight the Germans. It was a time for The Good Ole American Grit to kick in and we did!
The men who were able went to fight the enemy. The women kept the home front going. Some of the men who did get home had been gone 3 or 4 years. The women made up for the men in defense plants and ship years. The hard time brought out the best and worst in people.
Along with the war the 1940's were rebuilding years for America. The depression was past but life was still hard. Everyone worked hard and America had a new resurrection. It was our second resurrection, the first being after the civil war, less than 100 years before.
But now, in the 2000's, America has lost a sense of The Good Ole American Grit. We have too many ways to get money or credit without work or sacrifice. The youth can go to college, and without money. They get loans. Adults buy anything that is on the market without money they use credit cards. The government just keeps printing more money and borrowing more money to put us farther and farther in debt.
We are fast becoming a cashless society and debt-infested nation. What has happened to our advice from our forefathers who taught, "If you don't have the money do without".
In saying all that, let me say this. There are more and more people everyday who are being very successful. They are working hard, maybe two jobs, raising good families, avoiding as little debt as possible. They are being good community citizens and yes, they are doing well. They still have The Good Ole American Grit. Why? Because they are applying good principles for life that have been around for centuries; honesty, integrity, character, faithfulness, and loyalties. They still work.
America will recover and God will raise up a new generation who will lead this country someday to produce people with The Good Ole America Grit.
Chaplain Bud
The Christian Church at Cogan Station
(570) 998-2989