Money, Property, & Prestige



I admit I can get a little anxious about our current state of affairs. As any reader can see, things are in a bit of transition for me lately so I crave stability. Unfortunately, that just isn't the climate right now. And then I start to wonder, or is it?

I think, because I am bombarded with news reports and tweets and wherever else information seeps into my already saturated brain, that things are pretty crummy. The world feels like it is coming to a catastrophic end any moment. But is it truth or perception?
Everyone tells us what is wrong, what is better, what is the wave of the future...why do I listen to all the noise around me? How do I filter it?

I have been looking into our finances the past couple of days, trying to tweak the budget, and am stunned at my wastefulness. Like seriously, get over yourself already-cook at home more! The poor husband is just gonna have to suck it up and eat what I cook. And maybe I will even get better at it...
Is the swine flu really any more dramatic than any other flu, or is the drama that we are still vulnerable created beings who only deluded themselves into feeling safe?


I guess the thing is, where do I get my standards? What do I measure my life by?

I can get caught up in the consumer culture and worry about being able to spend enough money. I can get caught up in worrying about tomorrow, or next month, or even a year from now, but will I even be here? Why make plans like that?

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." James 4:13-15 NIV

Does He have something to say about everything?!

Money, property, & prestige don't do it for me. Haven't for a while. Well, even for longer than that, but it just took me a time to figure that out. I thought having more or whichever would make it better; I just didn't have enough. Now I know, I just had the wrong stuff.

Living in God's will, even painfully, is so much more fulfilling. So, I will again leave things in His hands and deal with what comes, not with what I think is coming. Not easy, but necessary.

Comments

Anonymous said…
God's Will for Chris Z!!!

I work in a job one week a month that has alot of prestige in my Hospital as a Critical Care Nurse Rounder. I love the
teaching and mentoring I get to do
but I am human and admit to that ego
thing being nice too.:-) Last week I cried at work after getting caught up in the middle of some political bullcrap in this job. I get so pissed off when everyone fights over
taking a patient. I wanted to quit right then and there but
prayed hard that night to let it go and for "God's Will for me" knowing that he always has a plan.

The very next day a group of nurses from North Carolina who were on the unit teaching us a new insulin infusion system came up to me and asked if I would be interested in taking a job with them!!!

In this job I would be traveling once a month in a prn position teaching and mentoring nurses in other hospitals.

The same time commitment and all teaching & mentoring!!!
Less politic's!!!
Exciting and fun sounding!!!


So Thank You God for answering my prayers, and Jaime for reminding me that prestige is not everything!!!

God has a plan!!!!

hugs
Much Love
Chris
eaglegirl said…
We all know the different forms of news sources that feed us mostly bad news.
I would just for one whole newshour love to hear about the good things that have happened. Surely there are some of those ?
There are things that could be good to know, but do we have to know every minute detail and hear it over and over and over ?
I look some at my local paper and sometimes watch the world news with my husband. But it seems my news has been greatly condensed to those 5 lines that Yahoo feels is news each day. Click and read.
And then there are my dear Facebook friends, who are sure to keep me informed of the 'real important, things happening in the world. So much for that subject.
It is amazing that people considered poor here are doing pretty well compared to 3rd world coutries. So, us middle class are living a better life than someone in India who would be considered upper class here.
My daughter spent two months in India and was astounded by the poverty. At one point a dentist relative of a friend picked her up at the airport. She was surprised the old model car he drove, that the neighborhood he lived in had rubbish all over and the simple home he lived in.
While we would expect an American dentist to have the latest model car, live in a prosperous neighborhood and have a big house.
My husband and I owned a newly built home in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. A nice bi-level, nothing too fancy but nice.
When moving to Ohio 9 years ago we sold the house and even took a loss. But since Paul was out of work off and on for a number of years we were glad for a new job and start in Ohio.
We moved into an apartment, a farily nice one, but an apartment. At times I will be in people's homes and feel a tinge of jealosy. But then I remember all that we do have.
I do at times get concerned about retirement. I'm not well enough to work, so we depend on Paul's income.
He told me something funny when I told him my concern. And he said because he works for the Federal government no problem, when it is his time to retire if there is not enough money available they can just print more ! lol
If I were wiser, I would be more careful and put even just a little more away as they used to say 'for a rainy day'.
Sometimes our circumstances can be out of our control and there is no good choice but to trust God.
Even when times are o.k. it is still wise to be wise and trust in God.
Sorry for the long comment, I sometimes get longwinded. So, like you read in my new blog it is a good thing I have my own blog to write and write away. But I still sometimes write long comments.
May the Lord bless you, keep you and give you His peace.

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