Tis a gift to be simple...

From BBC discussion:
"Is the financial crisis making it difficult for you to get a bank loan, a mortgage or a credit card? Are you worried about your job or your savings? Where are you investing your money?"

I just wanted to address this, because I think it shows a real discrepancy in how people are viewing things. We don't invest money, because the good book says to put our treasures up heaven, where they don't rust (or get repossessed when you can't pay for them or they lose value on the market...our extra money goes to charities) So many people have stated that because of the current financial crisis, gas prices are increasing, as are food prices. But it seems to me that in the past few weeks, food has not increased any more substantially than they have over the past few years. Anyone have numbers on that? I know that our food bill (for nine people) hasn't increased much more than $50 since the beginning of the year (which is about what we see over one or two years anyway. Of course, we're adding a mouth to feed every year or two, so I'm not sure what's market costs and what is more need). Prices in restaurants are going up, but we don't eat out very much, twice a month we have a date night, but honestly, there's so much food that usually dh and I split a meal and walk away full.

It also seems to me that the gas prices in our area have dropped to insanely low prices. Before the bailout, gas was $3.80, yesterday we filled the truck up at $3.33. I'm not sure what the decision is behind that. perhaps the oil barons are fearful that if the banks are to be regulated, someone might be coming in behind and check up on their financial practices. Who knows.

I do know that we have received three notices SINCE THE BAILOUT...informing us that our credit lines have been increased on various credit cards substantially. Perhaps because we pay them off? We don't rotate credit? We save our money to buy things in cash? We did blow a little on two trips this past summer, but again, they are paid off.

I do dislike the implications of the poor stupid or incredibly greedy mortgage owners. Over and over the news has spoken about two different types of mortgages in trouble in this bail out, one are 'wily' people who buy houses with the expectation of increasing their escrow quickly through increased property value. The others are people who were 'tricked' into getting ARMs and were 'not smart enough' to read the mortgages and figure out the dangers. We were offered an ARM. Dh knew instinctively that to put our interest at the rate of the market was a danger. But also, any one of those people could have said, "I don't understand this legal form I am signing my name to...I would like to take it and read it slowly (or even take it to a lawyer for much less fee than the bank is charging already)" Or the idea that they would borrow more for their mortgage than the house was worth, just to pay off some credit cards that shouldn't have been used to buy things that more likely than not, didn't need purchased...new furniture, clothes, I know people who put in $40,000 swimming pools by refinancing.

We are simple people though, not a lot of need for extra loans, or more than one mortgage. No need for credit cards (although they have been convenient) or investments. We don't worry about earthly delights, because we trust that the Lord will provide all of our needs. He always has, and always will:

Reminds me of the song

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.