I miss having only one of my friends with a car and the rest of us had to pile in and keep each other company. When my friends parents couldn’t give him a ride we would have to ride bikes to the nearest store to buy bags full of candy before we would watch The Simpsons.
Now we all drive to the same restaurant or venue in separate cars, our hanging out ends when we decide to go home, not when we arrive to drop someone off.
When I took a bus from the LAX airport to my friends house I hung out with a homeless lady that was thrilled to have someone to talk to, then when she got off a elderly man from China came over to me because he saw I would talk to anyone and we talked about his life, his jobs that he liked and didn’t like and then he gave me directions to my destination.
Walking away from the bus I was thinking, “if I had more money I would have gotten a taxi and even more money would have gotten me a rental car”. It’s then I realized, though cars and taxi’s aren’t bad, the lack of money forced me into human interaction, it forced me to be with people. Money isn’t the cure nor the disease, but it certainly can separate or even force our human interaction. Having it can allow us to only hang out with the people we want to. Lacking pushes you into conversations and interactions you may never would have had, which tests your patience and allows you to adapt to all sorts of walks of life. spatula
The economy and potential for another great depression gets me excited. I think it’s poverty that forces us to love, forces us to get a house with 15 other people, forces us to have a Biblical version of Church. Where everyone shared and ate together.
In Acts it says “there was not any among them that had a need”, basically they depended on each other and just as Jesus predicted, people knew they were Christians by their love, and their number was growing daily.
I am excited about this, maybe nothing happens at all, but if something does, I cannot wait, what a chance to really show how much we can love each other and also, just possibly, show who is a Christian for the money?
I don’t have a point, this is just a few things I was thinking about.
your friend,
-Isaac
5 Comments
I was thinking along something of the same lines the other day.. the way the economy is going. I’ve been on the lower end of income most of my life, and it’s a little scary to see it go even lower, but I think that’s when God is seen moving the most – through His people and His love in His people. I’m more excited about the possibilities than worried, call me crazy… but there’s no way that God doesn’t have a huge part in this depression. We’re sharing the same brainwaves this week, thanks Isaac :)
I’ve never heard anyone excited about another depression!But it’s definitely a good thing.With the big plans for the future God has given me,the idea of a depression scares me a little,but I know He will provide.Besides,I plan to be a pastor,I always said I hope to be poor,just the other day I said I believe if your rich in cash,you’re poor in spirit,I guess it all works out.
Why does it randomly say spatula there?”-All sorts of walks in life.spatula”…
haha, I was laughing a lot when I read your comment. I was sending a text and had a great witty remark to say to someone via text messaging, and T9 didn’t know the word ‘spatula’ so I typed it at the place I was at when I was typing just to spell check it. I told myself not to forget to take it off, but here we are.
your friend,
-Isaac
So your video camera is in my head again…
First the transportation issue: We have 4 cars at our home and it is not unusual for everyone to drive their own to church on Sunday because we all have “things to do” afterwards. i have often thought how sad it is we don’t all ride together anymore. My oldest however, rides with me every chance he gets to save gas. The other day we rode together and had the best discussion about Christianity and the Bible. Actually, Isaac, your name came up,because my son has some of the same views that you have. What is sad is i had no idea, until recently, because we were always going our own ways. Now we have discussions like these more often… even when not in a car=)
Second, the depression… i have to be honest i hadn’t given it alot of thought just because we are pretty careful with money anyways… and my optimism sometimes blinds me =) but the one thing that has been running through my mind lately is it seems the less i have… the more i realize it about others. God has been showing me that if i’m going through this then so are they. i’m more willing to go without something to help someone else or open up my home to people passing through to help them save a little on their trips.spatula
We would do well to have the mentality of the early church to all care for each other and make sure no one is in need. This is where the church as a whole often fails. Then the government does it their way and you can see where that has led us…. the church needs to come together with the cry of the Three Musketeers… “all for one and one for all!”
Isaac, thank you for just being you!
God amazes me… may i never cease to be amazed!!
~Kimberly
lol…spatula…The fact that it’s still there makes me laugh even more…