Pondering Our Plight

Oft times I read the Yahoo financial's written by many everyday people trying to make ends meet. Some of these, I walk away with new ideas and others I may not agree with, but the comments left for these writers by others to me are shameful.

Just because you may be sitting in a pile of dog pooh and someone else isn't, does that give us the right to be mean and nasty? If someone can afford to have steak with their BBQ's and I can only afford hot dogs does that mean I should be angry with them or I shouldn't enjoy myself as much as they do?

In 2006, we owned a larger home, lived on just under a half acre, had an RV and spent two weeks a year at NASCAR races, owned a boat, I could buy what I wanted and made over $50K a year on my own. Was I happy? No! While I loved my job, the stress had taken a toll on me and the changes I was seeing around me made me realize it was time for me to leave. Some of those changes have come to light in the paper with firings and immediate terminations & I am blessed to no longer be a part of that mess!

I wanted to move back to Washington state. I did my homework on the area I wanted to move to or believed and still believe that God was calling us to move to. Not for a week, a month or even a year...I studied this area for over three years...followed real estate trends, called on houses I liked and asked monthly electric and gas prices, followed sales ads, checked property taxes, jobs, etc. I talked to realtors, placement agencies, schools. We made an informed move....or so I thought!

My husband was hired for his position over the phone, sight unseen and the first day on the job, I massacred my tibia and fibula. Did I want him home? No, I would be okay. I knew I had friends from work and neighbors that would help me. Well, when it was over, I was so grateful for my neighbors, my work associates turned out to be just that. I received 2 visits and less phone calls. The writing on the wall was very clear!

Our home sold, we paid a vehicle off, put a large down payment on our home, paid bills and set aside funds for a rainy day. Well, the rain came and kept coming....the economy tanked, their were no jobs here, I wasn't ready to go back into my old line of work & took a job working at a local school. I worked hard on keeping up. Chipping away at the savings, then 2 back surgeries and the rainy days kept coming, but the fund was empty.

So, should I be bitter about it? Should I feel sorry for myself? Should I be angry at the people who have more than I do right now? If someone can afford to hire a gardener to do their lawn and plant flowers because they don't want to...should I be jealous?

Of course not! First of all when we moved, I didn't realize the economy would tank...at least not when it did. But I was smart enough to know when someone makes a major move, it takes at least five years to get back on your feet, unless the move was paid for, your expenses were all covered, you are in the military, etc. We are coming up on four years now.

I get that many people don't have jobs, they are scraping along and struggling, but I also understand many people had no savings plan, spent money like it was going out of style, lived beyond their means. Not everyone because on the other hand, you have single moms and dads that were barely eeking by before things got difficult. Poor planning on someones part, doesn't mean an emergency on someone else's!

As an HR professional before I was laid off, I saw how the economy has affected many people. I would call people who were on unemployment and offer them a job and they would turn me down. Why work when I make more sitting at home and we want to know why you are complaining about not working? On the other hand, there are companies that refuse to hire anyone that has been laid off regardless of the reason behind the lay off....LAME!!

My son washes dishes for minimum wage in his first job, then he works a part-time job catering rich peoples parties, his wife is a housekeeper at a hospital full-time and part-time she works cleaning offices. Are they bitter? No. They love where they live and while life is tough, they enjoy the parks in the area and movies when they can go and the are truly happy!

I guess what I am really saying, is if you don't like where you are at, get up and do something about it! Don't be bitter and angry because someone else is eating steak or has something you don't have. Do what you can now and keep looking. Volunteer at a food bank, soup kitchen, hospital, homeless shelter, church...you can list those volunteer jobs on job applications so at least it shows motivation!

Never give up hope. Never blame God for your plight and always remember when you are angry, you are allowing the devil to steal your joy, you are allowing that bitterness to change who you are. You are allowing the devil to gain a foothold!

Sure, I can't do what I used to do physically or financially, but right now, I am able to stay at home and relax and spend time with my grandchildren and quilt for those that are in real need. Do I miss eating out all the time? Sometimes! Do I miss living in the desert in the blistering heat? Not for a moment! Do I miss being employed full-time...yes and no. Would I welcome a full-time job? In a New York minute! But right now, this moment, I don't so why be bitter?

All I am saying is that I am responsible for my own happiness. I am responsible for my own life. You are responsible for your own life. Don't put others down because they are successful or haven't lost their jobs, rejoice in their good fortune, pray that they remain successful.

Last night I heard a woman say, she doesn't work out of the home, her husband has a great job, they have more money than she can spend, she pays her bills, her husbands insurance, retirement and savings comes out of his check before she sees it in the bank and she spends the rest on herself. She knows there will always be more? Will there be? I don't know, but I know her husband has planned for them and done well.

Am I jealous? No. I want her to be blessed. I want her to be happy. Just because I don't have what she has...then, on the other hand, the sadness she has in her life, I would not want. Hmmmm, money or happiness? Well, since money can't buy happiness, I will be happy with what money God has entrusted me with!

Money isn't good or evil, it is what we do with that money that makes it good or evil.

Don't turn on someone because they appear on the outside to be better off than you are. You may be surprised that all they have they would wish away for a happier inside life.

Remember for today, the devil is about defeat and he doesn't want us to succeed or to be happy, so if he can make us miserable and jealous, he is ecstatic.

Go out today and give the devil what he deserves, a huge black eye. Tell him you will be happy with what you have and you won't be bitter about what you don't. Begin today, don't worry about tomorrow and remember, jealousy and bitterness and very ugly things to hang onto.