Two things happened, at least one of which we should have seen coming. The first was that the price of gas started dropping again, OK that's not so bad, still cheaper to run, but the second was this little thing called puberty. My two smallish children suddenly hit puberty with a vengeance and they became large adult sized children crammed into the back seat of a car that was not meant for large humanoids. A large can opener should have been a standard feature...
So what does this have to do with anything?
Well it's the price of gas and my New Years resolution that I want to talk about.
I realise that I don't determine the price of gas, in fact there is almost nothing in the financial world that I have any part of. I get paid and I spend what money I have and ,like most of you, I go about paying my bills and living life.
But it is the price of gas that got me to sacrifice something that I really enjoyed. The problem wasn't with the price of gas, though the cheaper the better is a good motto to me, no, it was listening to all the naysayers and believing almost everything that I was being fed that got to me.
As some of you probably know, I have time on my hands,and I am a news junkie so I have had the time to research and look at various problems going on in this country and the world. I fell into one of the biggest traps of them all and that was simply this; The world as we know it is going to end with chaos and anarchy. We are all going to become slaves of the man, and basically the world as we know it is going to come to an end and only those that are prepared for the chaos that is to come will survive.
I am not saying that their are not some serious problems in our nation and the world. What I am saying is that it became almost my sole focus, leaving little to no room for anything else but cynicism. This way of thinking has all but ruled to the point of where I gave up a vehicle that I liked and moved back ,and into, a place that I am not so fond of just to avoid some of the issues that I can see coming.
I still believe that if things don't change soon that we will have some very serious problems both in this nation and in the world as a whole, but my New Years resolution for 2011 is live my life to the fullest and let G-D worry over the finer details. Let me give you a text to consider Gen. 8: 20-22.
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease.”seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
G-D is in control. He made a promise and He will keep it.
He didn't ask me to spend my time fretting over every stupid thing that government does, though it is good to be aware of whats going on, but if it becomes the sole focus of my life then I will miss out on the "joy of the journey".
I am not a complete idiot, I do understand that we are living in some very unique and even scary times. I also know very well as to what the various prophets have had to say about the end, but I take comfort in the knowledge that G-D is in control, He will deliver His people, even many who don't know that they are His and through very perilous times, but for now we are called to live the life of Ecclesiastes. What is that you might ask?
Two verses sum it up well, Eccl. 9:7-10
Go, eat your bread with joy,
And drink your wine with a merry heart;
For God has already accepted your works.
Let your garments always be white,
And let your head lack no oil.
And drink your wine with a merry heart;
For God has already accepted your works.
Let your garments always be white,
And let your head lack no oil.
Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
The first is to enjoy this life and to love your spouse and be glad in doing so. The second is love G-D with all your heart and serve Him.
Eccl. 12:13-14
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.
So for me the conclusion is simply that G-D is in control and that all will continue as He says it will until He decrees otherwise and that I am to serve Him with all my heart and to rejoice in this life that He has given us rather then spend all of it in fear.
So while I still live in a place that I'd rather not live, G-D is on His throne and all is well.
My kids are the size of small horses now and this is as it should be and all is well.
We have health and life, a roof over our heads and food for the table and all is very well.
We are still as poor as church mice and that is still OK because G-D is on His throne and all is well.
We have Love and that is definitely as it should be and that is well!!
Oh yea ,we are back to a minivan, but even if we were not, G-D is on His throne and all is well.
My resolution for this next year ,and for the future, is simply to live the life that G-D has given me and spend more time rejoicing then in worry. Be prepared, yes, But do so while rejoicing.
From my family to yours I wish you a very happy and G-D filled 2011 !
Shalom,
Ignacio
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