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Read: James 1:9-11; 5:1-6
The rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. —James 1:11
Bible In One Year: Genesis 12-15
After Bob Ritchie graduated from college, he spent the next two decades in the grasp of a love for money and advancement. He uprooted his wife and family five times for his career, so that he could make more money. Each time they left warm church communities behind.
After a while, Bob and his family seldom had time for church. As God's people became strangers, so did the Lord. He became desperately lonely and isolated. Growing discontented with his life, he finally said, "Enough!"
Bob now testifies that God taught him the meaning of the word downsize. He stopped pursuing money, spent less time at work, cut back on his purchases, and learned to be content with what he had. The family again became faithful to the Lord and active in a church.
In his brief and practical epistle, James warned us not to be obsessed with amassing wealth (1:9-11; 5:1-6). Whether we're rich or poor, the desire for money can subtly take over our lives. Some believers have fallen into its clutches without being aware of it and are fading away in their pursuits (1:11).
Do you need to follow Bob's example? It may be time to say, "Enough!" —Dave Egner
I'm thankful for you and the rest of the beautiful *Babes* for taking time to create and post the Finest threads. You are all so very talented.
I got a good one for you!
Pick up a book and spend some time "getting lost" in it's pages, May I suggest if you want to "escape" for a while, the liberal nitwits your way, reading a good fantasy/Sci fi book like "Harry Potter" or "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy?
And if Sci/Fi-Fantasy is not your cup of tea, than how about a good romance or mystery.
Or if fiction is not your bag, read some history or biographies or books by The likes of Anne Coulter or Sean Hannity or others in the non-fiction relm.
This is what I do. When I've really sick and tired of the misguided folks around me I "Escape"
Or coarse, there is the ULTIMATE read that should really get you going. "THE BIBLE"!!!!
Anothere thing,
Beautiful job ((((((dutchess)))))))
These are all suggestions that would certainly make life a lot better.
We most assuredly are privileged to have and participate in so wonderful a community, and appreciate the dedication of the hostesses and hosts and all participants here at The Finest.
dutchess, I enjoyed reading all of the offerings on this list until I came to "Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon."
Afraid I process this as "abandon cooking whenever possible" (right, Sistah Nan?!) !!
Based upon something related when my son and his son were here for Christmas, I feel compelled to add for the younger ones with children here:
"Realize that events with children that cause gray hairs at an early age can later be viewed with a quite different perspective -- can one day be chalked up to a "Spirit of Glorious Adventure!"
Flash back to 1963 and our arrival in Fairbanks, Alaska, my husband stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, 30 miles south. For a family to accompany him, a sponsor there had to secure affordable housing, and ours had found a nice apartment in town.
AFTER we arrived and moved in, we discovered he had 'fibbed' to the landlord, withholding the fact we had two dogs, not allowed in the complex. We were told we had 30 days to find another abode.
There we were with no money, on half pay for 6 months to repay the travel advance, in an area with an astronomical cost of living beyond the means of the enlisted and the woefully inadequate Cost of Living Allowance.
With the boys 7 and 8 in school, a baby girl 3 months old and one car, there was no way I could work.
Fairbanks then was a small town, and my husband scoured ads posted in laundromats for possible places to rent. Checking in one, he was reading an intriguing ad for someone with carpentry skills when the woman who'd placed it walked in.
Mary had moved to Anchorage, but before leaving had invested in a property west of Fairbanks near the Airport -- had bought and moved there in the woods half of an old military barracks building. The upper half had already been renovated into a spacious 3 bedroom and large living areas apartment, and she needed someone to live in the unfinished bottom half and finish it - rent free!
Fortunately, Bernie's father was a master carpenter (although a foreman in a GE plant in Dayton) and passed skills to his sons.
We thus for 6 months lived a half mile from the Chena River, he happily plastering the bedroom walls, finishing the panelling in the main rooms, istalled the ceilings, and me assisting with all things and being the official painter.
Even with no rent, we existed much of the time on donated from hunter friends moose and caribou meet, lots of macaroni and cheese, and old Korean Conflict C-rations from the base (great canned chicken and tin of fruit cake). We shared them often with another younger military couple in worse circumstances.
Oh - did I mention we also took in Mary's teenage son so he could finish high school there? And her ex-husband lived in the unfinished basement and sometimes ate with us?!!
After that apartment was finished, Mary had us finish a 3 bedroom house a block away she'd moved there -- I painted the whole interior with a heavy coat on in 35 degree weather in May, the heating system not yet installed.
Military wives have to be versatile..:))
LOL
At any rate, where in Florida when my boys were little they dodged snakes when they went out to play, there were none in Fairbanks -- Mommo's Admonition became "Watch out for the moose and caribou and foxes and wolves going through the yard to drink at the Chena River and returning to their territory."
They had the fun of there being a cache on stilts in the yard as the perfect place from which to leap after a heavy snowfall fell on the already several feet on the ground; and also a rare one wet enough to build a monstrous snowman with Dad's help, taller than he was. (I have photographs)
Now - as for "The Glorious Adventure" that a week ago we related to Steve's son, Ryan (21), Bernie told him something his Dad had not!
One day Dad drove down the road (about 2 miles) to the Fairbanks airport to watch the traffic, having flown planes as a teenager. Driving parallel to the fence, he saw a B-25 parked, with one engine firing up. Stopping to watch, thinking it soon would taxi to the runway and take off, he saw a little hand wave at him!
With horror, he recognized the small face with it as just-turned-9 son Kevin - and the "pilot" was just-turned 10 Steve!!
They'd walked to the airport to watch planes, too, and climbed aboard the B-25 to see the controls -- and Steve somehow figured out how to start the engine!!
Kevin was looking out the window to watch the other engine fire up, saw Dad, and waved to invite him to join them!
Dad naturally sweated Security descending and explaining to Feds his sons would not really hijack the plane (would they have tried to take off??!!), and being in serious trouble with the Air Force.
Needless to say, Ryan enjoyed the tale enormously -- as we did in retrospect.
Ah, the things we survive as parents, and there are dozens of other escapades that at THIS end of life we can savor, and laugh, the culprits turning out smashingly well.
By the way, both fly, and Kevin went with the FAA, now in his 22nd year of government service (starting in the Army), although now with the TSA in West Palm Beach, and ready to retire in 5 1/2 years if he chooses. Still maintains his pilot's license, and used to co-pilot Angel Flights to take ill children to Gainesville for treatment.
May you one day be able to look back with warmth and glee, too ---
I am busy working on graphics for the Inaugural Ball, so can't stay, but wanted you to know how much I appreciate you. :-)
Great list you've presented, dutchess.
I need to work on that "ashamed of patriotism" issue. :)
Thank You, dutchess. Wonderful thread.
There are many, many things I am thankful for.
Free Republic is one of them.
Hi dutchess! Thank you for the tips. I hope you are having a great day. :-)
