I suppose it’s time for a few wandering thoughts from a wondering mind. There’s a book out there with that same title, but is hard to get since the publisher went out of business. (I heard it was an interesting read.)
1. On Wednesday nights, I’m helping with a class at our church that deals with individual finances. You’ve probably heard of Dave Ramsey and his Financial Peace course. I help facilitate the class, you don’t say teach anymore. (Actually, the main thing I do is get the video started, and I’m not very good at that!) It’s a good basic course on how to get you finances in better shape and be on the road to, as they say, financial freedom.
And there are countless folks out there who don’t have it. Probably the most obvious example is credit card debt. The Federal Reserve of New York states that Americans owe a total of $1.23 trillion in credit card debt, and that the average credit card balance is $6,523. And with the interest rate on those cards running up to 20 percent, no wonder Dave walks around with scissors pleading, actually yelling, with folks to cut those cards up.
The key, per Dave Ramsey, to financial peace is a budget. It’s knowing what comes in and what goes out. It’s also the hardest thing to do, since it’s a reality check of where you are financially.
2. Speaking of a budget, the state of North Carolina does not have one, and has been without one since last summer. North Carolina remains the only state without a full budget for the fiscal year. The legislature has passed continuing budgets to keep everything operating, but have yet to pass a comprehensive budget. So that means that teachers and state employees have not received any pay raises to keep up with inflation, or state agencies can’t make any long range plans based on what their possible funding will be.
One of the primary responsibilities of those elected to the North Carolina legislature should be to be good stewards of the finances of the state. That prioritizes a comprehensive budget, not just a get by budget. That’s something a true conservative legislature should do, and should have already done. The legislature has had time to pass Congressional redistricting and other items. I’m sure Dave Ramsey would say it’s time to get priorities in order and pass a comprehensive budget.
3. We sure do have faith in the weatherman, or woman. At our Bible study a couple of weeks ago, Will Kopp defined faith as “the willingness to act in the present on the basis of a reality that is yet to be proven or seen.” Last week, we sure did act because of their forecasts. But the reality is those long range weather forecasts often turn out to be unproven and unseen. (And I’m always glad when they are not as bad as predicted.)
But, in the future as in the past, if my favorite weather person predicts another storm a week away, I’ll get ready to drag out the generator once again and be prepared. Why? Because I have faith in the weather man, or woman. As I once again head to the shed (The weatherman said we’re getting another storm this weekend.) to pull out the generator, I wonder what my life would be like if I had as much active faith in other areas.
I’ll also need to call my sister to see what the weather will look like for this coming weekend. She lives at the homeplace back at Clement. I keep seeing where school, churches and businesses are closed due to “inclement weather conditions.” If that’s the case, I should find out what the weather is going to be like in Clement so I can be prepared.
4. Finally, the campaign flyer I get in the mail states, if elected, this politician will “fight” for you. It seems that fighting and confrontation is all governing is about these days, with little positive being accomplished. And the anger and bitterness is being passed down to the general population, being shown in the violence we have seen lately.
In the Beatitudes in the Bible, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Does that mean a society that is in constant strife and division won’t be blessed? That’s something to think about.