Saturday, February 21, 2009

Balance and Preparation.

Tom's Journal.
http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/
tschuckman@aol.com

I keep using my old analogy of me learning how to swim AFTER I got home from Vietnam- out of the Army. I was afraid because I had a few close calls and my dad was not a good teacher, even if he was a Navy guy. I had to 'put all of my trust' in someone that I really, honestly liked, respected and TRUSTED [Barney Lavin, my good old farmer buddy, and they had a swimming pool]... and it worked! A few years latter my Dad got rich enough to build his own large swimming pool, 9 feet deep at the lowest part, and I swam there many times. The point I am driving at is the term, TRUST. Humans have a built in, innate need/ desire to worship something, and the Creator knew this when he created our first parents, Adam and Eve. Erring man has always wanted to be totally free and independent to do his own thing and not be accountable to ANYONE, but God knows what is best for His children. Those of us who have finally reached full Christian maturity realize/ understand this simple fact of life. The rest of us struggle -- until we have fallen down, got bruised or broke enough bones to 'see the light' of true Wisdom... lol. For 'Old Soldier Tom' it's been a long hard road-- call me a stubborn German or what ever, I just wish it could have been different, dear Lord. But--God beats/ disciplines/ chastises whom He LOVES! --see Hebrews. Just as a father gives his beloved kids a spanking or a whooping only when they need it--God is OUR Father and He wants us to be in heaven some day-- not hell. Need I point out that unsupervised children with an absent father [or a fractured household] usually are more prone to get into trouble?? Cast your eyes toward our ghettos and school drop outs. Check out what Bill Cosby says about post-Katrina New Orleans and the teen age unwed mothers and violence!

I just want to get the proper balance right now as I see all the world melting down, especially the USA. I see the potential for big time disasters,riots, martial law, hunger and death. I consider myself well read, studied, educated and experienced in these matters. It's too bad [but understandable] that about 52% of Americans voted for some hair brain, goofy stuff to come down the pike lately these past few weeks--- for they forsook the REAL God of the universe and replaced Him with a goofball in D.C.! It's amazing how fast we are losing everything sacred so fast that took 200 years to build! Well, history says that the average life span of a civilization is about 200 years. And here is one of those rare times that the Bible and History agree!
I want to challenge my 'inner core' of trusted biblical Christians with a few personal questions. Where is the BALANCE between having a good 'safety net' and preparing for sudden emergencies, disasters and world crisis melt down -- and/ while still trusting in the Lord with ALL our heart ? Because the bible tells us to do both... but I know that there MUST be balance. It's time for me to bed down for the night, but my short, quick answer is: Trusting in the Lord MEANS preparing for hard times and disasters. It's about priorities again. Christians are supposed to help one another-- yet some unbelievers will spend all their money on smokes, drugs, booze and expensive vacations and huge, costly houses that takes two incomes to manage/pay for, and then they scream for the Gov't to bail them out, or yell bloody murder when a natural disaster comes. I live in a hundred year old house that I continue to fix up $$$ and improve, but I feel the need to have GOOD transportation that is very dependable, like my '07 Ram 4 by 4 pickup truck, and we have a '05 Caravan too. I believe in canned goods, gardens, freezer and dry goods[rice and beans] too, but I was raised that way on the family farm in Wisconsin.
I would like to get some input/ comments from my friends and readers, if you please.
Take care with the new snow fall up North.

Tom


Stupid American’s Have Put Their Future in the Hands of Liberal Elitists Who Intend to Destroy Our Way of Life

Posted: 21 Feb 2009 11:18 AM PST

By Don KoenigThese are a few of the things the liberals and democrats have brought up in just the last few days to “IMPROVE” our country.Obama promises immigration reform (The American people made it clear that they were against amnesty. Who will pay for it? The liberals want it because a larger Latino population will get them more votes.Obama signs Presidential Determination allowing

4 comments:

Lynne said...

You've got some valid points. However, you also need to look at the reason some folk buy what they do is not always as black-and-white as it may seem. Some individuals will purchase what you may deem "too pricey" in order to achieve a tax write-off or shelter. Not always, but in some cases they are trying to do the right thing and be responsible and invest their earnings in a productive manner. I am not going to sit in judgment of the "Jones family".

I do feel if everyone would take a step back and do the community thing and offer what they can instead of holding onto it - we'd see people having enough food, shelter and clothing. Some smaller towns are already going back to the "bartering" concept. It works for them.

Good topic. Giving is always better than receiving in my book!

Trader Rick said...

Tom, I am reminded of the old story about the fellow who was stranded on his roof during a flood. He prayed to the Lord for help. A boat, then a chopper then something else came by and each time he refused their help saying "The Lord will Provide". So of course he drownded and when he got to Heaven he asked the Lord, why didn't you save me? and the Lord replied, What do you mean? I sent a boat and a chopper! and that other thing.

The Lord helps those who help themselves.

Carolyn said...

Hey Tom. What another good post. I've known Christians who depend on God so much they do nothing for themselves. It's a good thing obviously to trust in teh Lord, but He expects us to do stuff for ourselves too, or He wouldn't have given us the abilities He has. I'm with you, in that He shows us the signs of the times, so we can prepare. We plant at certain times to be ready for seasons we can't plant. Sorry my attempt at a parable ;-)
We see war and rumors of war and know what humans are capable of when all the nukes and all that stuff is involved, and it does not hurt to take cretain precautions. We can trust in the Lord too to help us get through anything that comes, or be ready for His kingdom if we don't make it. Hurricane season is coming up soon, and I always make sure we are prepared. It made me so angry about New Orleans because the people and local governments did NOT prepare, then they turned to humans instead of God to help them. See how well that turned out.
Our government's main job is to protect us from enemies and to help us in cases of disasters. More often than not lately, they do neither.
Simple rules to live by is to not spend what you don't have, and help others when you have more than you need. Our needs are not always our wants- they are separate things, and God knows our needs but does not always give us what we want.
Follow those rules, and things will be OK~ God Bless you Tom~

madison said...

My thoughts are basically the same as the others who have commented. We need to trust in God, but he always provides in ways for us to provide for ourselves to.