CONTENT ?

“I will be content . . . “

OR

“I am content.”

– – –

Take time to reflect.

Wait on God.

“Trust in the Lord, . . .”
. . . don’t lean on your . . .
— your anything
— your thinking
— your understanding
— your abilities
— your figuring it out
— your health
— your strength
— your goals
— your position
— your success
— your money
— your insurance
— your retirement
— your . . .

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”

If we do not stop to consciously, verbally, recognize our dependence on God, our trust in Him “in all our ways”, in every detail—then we are not trusting in the Lord with all our heart.

ALL – – – or – – – NOTHING

“Be still, and know that I AM God.”

D.O.M.E.

1– There comes a time when you can’t afford to waste what you have—your resources, your energy, your time, your mind, your emotions, your relationships.

Now, the same statement, with one word added and underlined:

2– There comes a time when you can’t afford to waste what you have left—your resources, your energy, your time, your mind, your emotions, your relationships.

As we get older, we start facing that second statement, with the word, left, because we must accept less in many areas.
The key is dealing with it without adding more stress.

– – –

For anyone out there who feels you’re losing it, a little or a lot,
we need the
Department
Of
Mental
Efficiency

Find waste, fraud, theft, inefficiency, in the use of mental energy, especially as the available supply becomes a premium.

We need D.O.M.E.
But who can we find to do what needs to be done—identify our unaffordable mental inefficiencies and give practical suggestions to address them.

I believe it must be done.
I feel it can be done.

(I’ll start writing notes when ideas come.)

TRADEOFFS OR CONSEQUENCES

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
(part one—read this first)
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

TRADEOFFS
Is life a deal, a tradeoff—maneuvering to get the most of what you want while giving up the least to get it ?
What, or Who, are you dealing with, in life—in real life—in your life ?

or

CONSEQUENCES
Is life a choice, with consequences—finding what is most important—deciding to get what is most important, whatever it costs—accepting and living with the consequences—never looking back ?
What, or Who, are you choosing—always looking ahead—all the way ahead ?

– – –

What is the cost ?

What is the price ?
– of satisfaction ?
– of making money ?
– of getting rich ?
– of security ?
– of contentment ?
– of freedom ?
– of goals ?
– of accomplishment ?

What is the price ?
– of integrity ?
– of faithfulness ?
– of faith ?
– of love ?
– of relationships ?
– of happiness ?

– – –

What is your price ?

What will you pay ?

What will you give up ?

What will you sacrifice ?

What will you suffer ?

– – –

What do you want ?

What do you want most ?

What is life worth ?

What is your life worth ?

What is death worth ?

What is your death worth to someone ?

What is your death worth to you ?

– – –

What is life after death worth ?

What is life after death worth to you ?

– – –

What is the connection between–
— the price of life now ?
and
— the price of life after now ?

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
This was written with questions only, to get you to think—think first about your life, your ambitions, your pursuits—and not immediately react to my answers, or anybody else’s answers, to life.
If we cannot get an honest evaluation of our life, we will never make honest decisions that last.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
(part two—later)
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

MARRIAGE VOWS AMPLIFIED

If these vows, repeated at the wedding altar, were thoroughly addressed in pre-marital counseling—so much so, that they are almost memorized—so ingrained to stick forever—then they may be recalled when reality hits home later (or sooner).

“I Promise” is a verbal declaration—“I give you my word.”
“I Pledge” is a promise backed with collateral—“I mortgage my life for you.”

– – –

I promise, I pledge, to you, [name], with everything I have from God’s power, that I will–
+ I will forsake all others, past, present, future.
+ I will cleave/cling to you.
+ I will cleave/cling only to you.
+ I will stay faithful to you as long as we live, with feelings and without feelings.
+ I will stay with you when we’re rich and when we’re poor.
+ I will stay with you when we’re healthy and when we’re sick.
+ I will stay close with you when we have faith and when we have doubt.
+ I will stay close together with you when we are strong and when we are weak.
+ I will stay together with you when we have warm feelings and when we don’t.
+ I will defend our marriage, our home, against all enemies outside and inside.
+ I will build our house (home) with the Lord to destroy the termites.
+ I will remember intimacy always, and catch the little foxes.
+ I will spend time with the Lord alone, every day.
+ I will spend time with the Lord together, every day.
+ I will spend time with you, every day.
+ I will “call upon the Lord in the day of trouble”.
+ I will “call upon the Lord in the day of trouble” with you.

– – –

I offered this at my youngest son’s wedding reception.
“Marriage is work, BUT remember to:
+ Spend 80% of your time and energy enjoying each other.
+ Spend 10% of your time and energy dealing with what the world throws at you.
+ Spend 5% of your time and energy dealing with what your spouse throws at you.
+ Spend 5% of your time and energy dealing with what you throw at your spouse.”

“LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL . . .” ?

“The love of money is the root of all evil.”—–Jesus
“The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”
“The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”

Hmmm.
For hundreds of years Bibles said “The love of money is the root of all evil.”
I wonder if the change from “all evil” to “all kinds of evil”, and “the root” to “a root” might be less of a mandate from modern translation revelation, and more of an influence from modern American financial ‘enlightenment’.

Is there a difference between “all evil” and “all kinds of evil” ?
“all evil” is universal, simple, clear, comprehensive.
“all kinds of evil” is open to listing the kinds of evil—and missing some ?
Perhaps “all kinds of evil” means what people want it to mean.
Perhaps “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” gives a little breathing room for what people do with their money.
Perhaps “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” means I can still do what I want with my money, because for me it’s not that root that causes those kinds of evil referred to in that verse.

Question:
Why the change in recent translations ?
Answer:
I find it hard to believe it is necessary for purely linguistic reasons.

THOUGHTLESS

“How could anyone be so thoughtless, and not care.”

That is one application of the word, thoughtless.
I will pursue another use of the word, thought.

For hundreds of years, thought was associated with worry, with something negative, without using the word ‘worry’. (I’ll explain that later.)
Then, it seems to me we had to doctor up the word ‘thought’ to better fit into modern America, where thought is how we get things done.
So now we say ‘anxious thought’ or ‘worry’ for anything that steps over the line from just figuring things out, to fretting over something.

Combine this with the prevailing pressure to perform—at work, at play, at home, even at church—and we are expected to apply thought and get results, on time.

At a time when we emphasize and even worship leisure and entertainment, for many it comes at an ever-increasing cost.
Does it not seem to take more effort, more energy, to accomplish more—so that, then, we can enjoy the something we work so hard for ?

And there is the hard-to-define fine line between ‘thought’ and ‘anxious thought’, or ‘worry’.
Everybody is on their own to come up with the answer, to draw the line.
Most people expect most people to keep going, producing—get it all together, keep it all together.
Anyone can choose from a hundred things on the shelves to help you do just that (just a little more, a little longer).

When does a boost deliver a down ?
Usually.
When does another batch of boost solve that ?
Usually.

But then, the big picture—what this article is all about—perhaps nothing profound—but profoundly ignored.

“For hundreds of years, thought was associated with worry, with something negative, without using the word ‘worry’.” (explained now)

“Take no thought for tomorrow.
Tomorrow will take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.”
—–Jesus said that

A bit more detail,
“I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor for your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food, and the body than clothes?”
—–and Jesus said that, and more on the subject

I have observed many interviews with authors of Christian ‘how-to’ books, and translations re-wording to make it ‘easier to understand’ the Bible.
It seems that the more new ways of explaining things (marriage, family, finance, the times, God) we have available, the more new ways are required to explain things.

The words of Jesus above served us well for centuries, and count just as well today as far as I can tell.
To take ‘no thought’ sets a higher bar against worry, than to take ‘no anxious thought’.
There are other examples from Jesus’ words, like “I am the Way (the only Way)” and “Strait is the gate (limited) and narrow is the way to life (in heaven).”

I think we want Jesus to not be so restrictive in His Words, for modern American audiences, for modern American churches.

POLITICIANS, LAWYERS, THEOLOGIANS

What do politicians, lawyers, and theologians have in common ?

Politicians say, “I’m from the government—I’m here to help.”

Lawyers say, “I know all about the law—I’m here to help.”

Theologians say, “I studied, I know about God—let me help you understand God.”

– – –

What do politicians, lawyers, and theologians have in common ?

They claim to know more than you.
That gives them power over you.
That gives them status over you.
That makes them better than you.
That makes them well-off.
That makes them dangerous.

– – –

Warning—Politicians At Work—for power.
Warning—Lawyers At Work—for money.
Warning—Theologians At Work—for vainglory.

RICH – – – WHAT FOR ?

Rich—toward what ?

Rich—toward whom ?

Rich—have it all, and Jesus ?

Rich—comfortable ?

Rich—give ?

Rich—sacrifice ?

Rich—suffering ?

Rich—Can you surrender ALL to Jesus, and still maintain your standard of living ?

Rich—Who decides your standard of living ?

Rich—What determines your contentment ?

Rich—How much is enough, for you ?

? ? ? “If God gave me the gift of making money (lots of it), then I should spend my life making all I can.” ? ? ? ?
Then what ?
Rich—what for ?

A millionaire friend told me to focus only on making money for a couple years (contracts for full-time bobcat work), and pause helping others whenever they ask, to get out of debt—then return to helping others, with freedom.
Getting out of debt is very good, Biblical—but my pastor immediately pointed out a problem with my ‘successful’ friend’s plan.
He said that once you get used to making more money, it is unlikely you will return to helping others later.

BULLDOGER IN WASHINGTON

Been needed for some time.

Some things you just can’t fix.

(BULL DOGE R)

MINIMUM WAGE = COST OF LIVING ?

“Minimum wage should match/keep up with the cost of living.” ?

Actually, the minimum wage is always tied to the cost of living.
They are joined at the hip, so to speak.

But it’s a matter of mandated minimum wage vs market-driven minimum wage, that determines the consequences (intended or unintended).

Mandated minimum wage (government mandated) guarantees disruption in the free market, just as surely as mandated price controls.
Raising mandated minimum wage gains popular support—while it seems ‘fair’ and ‘compassionate’, it creates a snowball of forcing higher prices and reducing labor market openings.
Before long, inflation repeats unaffordability and more unemployment , resulting in demands for repeating raising mandated minimum wage.

When free market determines wages and prices, both are driven by reality.
Change is slower, better (wages and prices).
Inflation is controlled (wages and prices).

Responding to popular demands with emotion-based government control of wages (and thereby prices) spins the merry-go-round, more and more and faster and faster.

– – –

Daddy was a farmer and rancher and pecan grower.
He often referred to the debacle when the government tried to dictate farm policies.
Summary—“IT MAKES CLEAR THAT GOVERNMENTS DON’T KNOW HOW TO FARM.”

AND, governments don’t know how to run business.
Government should stick to guaranteeing our freedom to engage in business as we see fit with market decisions that work.
– – –
– – –
So true, and more—
+ Governments don’t know how to farm.
+ Governments don’t know how to run business.
+ Governments don’t know how to run churches (can’t improve on the first amendment).
+ Governments don’t know how to improve on the second amendment (not allowed to “abridge” the right to bear arms)—in fact, all gun-control laws are unconstitutional.