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Dust Bowl Ruminations

I am tired of hearing about the economic crisis as if We the People had nothing to do with it. I am tired of hearing about how Barack Obama is going to save us from the mistakes and mishandling of the prior administration. We are living with the aftermath of our own choices. We over-extended ourselves. We needed more square footage in our homes, more nifty gadgets and widgets for our walls and desks and in our entertainment centers. We needed faster cars with more equipment. We bought the goods at inflated prices. We continue to patronize the companies who make enough profit to send their executives begging for our tax money in corporate jets while staying in posh resorts and pretending they are broke. We bought their stocks and we were happy when we were blissfully ignorant and our portfolio numbers didn't come looking like [this].

I am about sick to death of hearing how President Elect, Barack Obama is going to save us from the evil we created ourselves. We are the ones that voted all the politicians that we blame for this economic crisis into office. It seems we only want to take credit for our choices when there is no trouble or the crisis is averted. Look folks, the economic dust bunnies we have been sweeping under the rugs have multiplied. We ignored then when they were dust buffalo and now we have the economic dust storm of the century looming over us like T-Rex over a fat, apathetic, too-stupid-to-stop-eating-and-start-running the-other-way cow.

We the People have lost the power to say, "no thanks." We the People have been so enthralled with the way Oprah lives that we forget that we do not have any thing close to what Oprah makes in money. Instead to pretend we live like her, we continue to fatten her portfolio by purchasing her books, watching her television programs and buying whatever philosophy of the week (or weak) she is selling. We bought her pick for a president, didn't we?

Now, before the Oprahites get their knickers in a twist over what I have said. Let me say while I do not agree with her religious and societal philosophies, I do not begrudge her the success she has. I find her fascinating and would put her on a list of dinner guests any time she wanted to accept. I do not think everything she has done is evil. In fact, I appreciate many of her efforts. It absolutely kills me that there are professing Christians who live more by what Oprah says than what their Lord says.

I am grateful that my God supplies my needs and thrilled that He also supplies some of my wants. I have gadgets and widgets. I just don't have the latest and greatest and am not going to be tricked into buying them. I was thrilled to fill my gas take for $20 last night, instead of $45 as it had been. I am very grateful to have a job. I have doctor's bills to pay from my little near death experience. I am aware that because I have insurance I didn't have to worry about how I would pay the bills as part of my decision to go to the emergency room. I am blessed. I know it. I also have a bucket load of student loans to pay (they cost me more than the mortgage on my house) and I could complain about them but I am the one who signed for them. I made the decision to take them out based on not enough information, which was also my fault. Ignorance doesn't make consequences easier, in fact, those are the ones I kick myself for... if I had sought counsel from someone other than the school who wanted my tuition money and still took out the loans, I would feel better about them. And of course, I have taxes to pay like everyone else. I would rather my taxes went to keeping my neighbors heat on in winter than to give any of these corporations that are crying poor mouth a red cent.

So that's my rant for today. I want to encourage believers to keep their faith in their God and not in the politics and economy of our nation. Quit barking about how horrible the economy is and start proclaiming the faithfulness of God. We have the hope of a mansion in heaven that will outshine anything Oprah or Bill Gates or Donald Trump can boast about while they are here on this fragile little planet and during the incredibly short time they will occupy it. As for our President Elect. Pray for him as that's what the Word says to do. Pray for him whether or not you voted for him. See him as a tool in our Sovereign God's hands.

1 Sam 12:19-25
19 Then all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, so that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins {this} evil by asking for ourselves a king."
20 And Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.21 "And you must not turn aside, for {then you would go} after futile things which can not profit or deliver, because they are futile.
22 "For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.
23 "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.
24 "Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
25 "But if you still do wickedly, both you and your king shall be swept away."(NAS)

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