$700,000,000,000 of bull —

The following statement was from an article I recently read on Yahoo news. 

“ATTLEBORO, Mass. – A 74-year-old blind woman’s 1 cent debt to a Massachusetts city has been settled. People from across the country called Attleboro City Hall on Tuesday offering to pay the 1 cent balance owed by Eileen Wilbur for an overdue water and sewer bill.

Antonio Viveiros, a former city councilor who does not know Wilbur, wrote a check for one penny. He says he was “irked” by the fact that the federal government can spend billions for bailouts, yet a senior citizen was threatened with a lien on her home over 1 cent.

Wilbur’s daughter first noticed the letter that warned of a lien and a $48 penalty if the overdue bill was not paid by Dec. 10.

Mayor Kevin Dumas says the whole situation was blown out of proportion.”

Now needless to say, I probably don’t need to state my opinion on how rediculous I think that is.  But follow me below on my personal opinion about all of the money that exists in this world.  I’m going to break it down into little facts.

According to Wikipedia - “At 3.79 million square miles and with about 305 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and third largest by land area and by population.  The United States is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse and multiculural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many counties.  The U.S. economy is the largeset national economy in the world, with an estimated 2008 gross domestic (GDP) of US $14.3 trillion (23% of the world total based nominal GDP and almost 21% at purchasing power parity.)”

Bear with me here I’m going to jump around…

$700,000,000 dollar bailout due to our economic crises.

According to Forbes back in 2007, and their famous “richest people” list… “One billion dollars is no longer enough. The price of admission to this, the 25th anniversary edition of the Forbes 400, is $1.3 billion, up $300 million from last year. The collective net worth of the nation’s mightiest plutocrats rose $290 billion to $1.54 trillion.  Wall Street led the charge, despite this summer’s market jitters. Nearly half of the 45 new members made their fortunes in hedge funds and private equity.”  The article then went on to list a few people who have made the list for a reason.  See below some “members” of this elite list.

33-year-old John Arnold, a former Enron trader who now runs hedge fund Centaurus Energy and has amassed a $1.5 billion fortune. — The oldest member of the list is potato king John Simplot, who is 98 years old and worth $3.6 billion. — Oprah Winfrey earned $275 million before taxes in the past 12 months, and she remains one of the most famous faces in the world. Mind you that is about $754,000 A DAY– - Golf star Tiger Woods retained the No. 2 spot on the list, raking in $115 million on and off the course, while actress Angelina Jolie soared to the third spot, combining $14 million in earnings with unrivaled levels of fame. Joining Jolie in the top 10 is boyfriend Brad Pitt, with whom she is expecting twins. Pitt banked $20 million in the past 12 months and was often spotted on the covers of magazines with Jolie as the two traveled the world promoting movies and working for various charities.”

Now based on the information and statements above… here are my thoughts. 

1.  WHAT is a 98 year old man going to do with 3.6 billion dollars?

2.  Its hard for people to truly understand the concept of $700,000,000,000… and I’m sure that its a much deeper conversation when you truly look at it from a more factual view, but just a few thoughts for fun that might spark some “light” conversation…

3.  If you took 700 billion dollars and divided it by the approximate population of the United States, that would be $2000 per person.  

4.  Oprah’s net worth has increased to approximately 2.5 billion dollars.  (Don’t get me wrong by any of this, Oprah is a visionary and a very smart woman who has earned her money and so are many other people with millions of dollars.  They have earned what they make (most of them), but I am simply using those with the highest rates for a few examples and conversations starters here. 

5.  Oprah could give the 350 million people in the United States each a about a quarter of a million dollars and still have more than enough money left. 

6.  Say Oprah lives to be 70, she’d have to spend more than $78,000 A DAY to use up even that 2 billion dollars before she had zero dollars.  Can you imagine spending $78,000 EVERYDAY of your life for 70 years? 

7.  Now with all of that said, add in the millions of dollars pro athletes are making, or people in government or actors and actresses (yes, all people who have worked hard for their money and deserve it, but who needs that much money.  There is NO way that Oprah will be able to even come CLOSE to losing her net worth before she dies EVEN with giving millions and millions away to charities and schools, etc.)  So really, if you added up (lets say just for fun) JUST ONE YEARS worth of even half of the millionaires/billionaires in the United States (money they wouldn’t miss at all…) and dispursed that to every person in America you could easily end poverty, and rid of national debt granted everyone used that money wisely.  Its just funny to me how all of that works and how there is SO much money in the United States its disgusting.  So to hear that we need 700 billion dollars to bail ourselves out, it makes me laugh with all of the money that exists in some people’s bank accounts. 

A study done by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty which states that approximately 3.5 million people, 1.35 million of them children, are likely to experience homelessness in a given year (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 2007)… someone tell me why.  Why are there still SO many homeless people in America, and WHY ON EARTH is the goverment so concered about $0.01 that some lady owes them?

Until next time.

Simple…

… I very much dislike snow.  Its okay on for maybe the day before, of, and after Christmas – but other than that.  I dislike snow! 

THE END.

Fine Dining… Or Fine Diner-ing!

 

Batavia’s “so called finest”… The Pok-A-Dot.

I went there the other day (all because of Ethan’s inability to choose a place for dinner!) around dinner time.  Now see, the Pok-A-Dot isn’t the first place you’d tell your friends to go out to on a saturday night typically, but my guess is, if you asked 20 people around town who have been there, if they have had a good experience or bad… all 20 would say good.  Its almost odd!  And I will have to give the place some credit.  With no more than 6 tables inside and a counter top that maybe seats 8, with the view of the fryer and flat top grill… I suppose you would consider it one of those small town, quaint little eaterys. 

You have one lady who is in the place and does all of the greeting (well, something like that!), ordering, cooking and delivering!  Sometimes there might be 2 ladies there.  But thats good stuff!  People might knock the Pok-A-Dot or shy away from it, because of its “greasy” looking, small building on the corner, first impression.  BUT, it really is a place that provides one with the satisfaction of a good meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner, for the cheapest prices in town. 

In conclusion of this very odd “ode” to a diner… we had friends visit from Italy this summer (their first time to America), and they went to the Pok-A-Dot.  They fell in love!  The onion rings did them in!  So you have to think, it must be some sort of good when the palate of a true Italian is begging to go there again!

AND… the best thing is, thanks to The Batavian - I have recently had the joy of laughter after discovering that there is a “cyber Pok-A-Dot“!!!!! There you are friends… IS your picture on there!?  Who knew!

Lets try this again…

In the past year or so there have been quite a few attempts by me to jump on the blogging bandwagon.  I have expressed thoughts in just a few blogs with every intention to keep it up regularly, but have failed at that!  So I thought, with a new hope for life; I’d try again. 

 

Things for me haven’t changed all that much.  I suppose to put it simply, it’s the same work, friends, a little play, and just a day to day routine.  I have recently though just started a small group with a few friends from Northgate.  We met for our first time a few Thursdays ago, and I think it is going to be a great time.  We discussed the emotions that people go through while being raised in a non-Christian home, and also the emotions of those raised in a Christian based family.  We also brought up the importance of accountability for one another, and taking that rollercoaster ride with those who are closest with us, because that’s part of being a Christian.  It was never guaranteed to be easy, but actually the exact opposite.  We as a group decided that to start our journey together, we’d select a book, and use that for a discussion topic.  We also plan on serving as Christians to those who need that outreach, to those who still need their hearts lit on fire by the amazing power and glory of God. 

 

I think being a part of a small group is something everyone should experience.  Life is so full of things that are capable of steering us away from our God and making those things seem so amazing and wonderful, that it takes a good group of people and partners in your walk with God to remind you of the truth, no matter how hard it may be.  So, I am very much looking forward to our weeks together, and hoping that it gives everyone a new desire to want to bring more people to know our amazing Lord. 

 

Other than small group, like I said, life hasn’t changed all that much.  But as I write this, I am watching The View, and they are discussing their “Hot Topics”.  Its an interesting segment, which I am glad to catch every now and then, because they all speak their minds and bring up their points and concerns that are relevant to what we deal with on a daily basis.  Today they were discussing and venting about the services for Time Warner cable and Direct TV.  Mind you, most people assume that because you are Whoopi Goldberg or Barbara Walters, you never encounter such issues as a disconnected service, or other service problems with your cable or internet.  But they were discussing on the show their frustrations as 3 weeks have gone by and someone has not been out to fix their services and how they said they’ve been there or their service time has been rescheduled.  They also mentioned their thoughts on why the services that are provided here in the United States are given by people in Bangladesh or other places like that.  I found it funny when one of the ladies stated she was speaking to someone via the phone about her services, and they asked where she was, and the customer service representative said they didn’t know where that was, and it was because she was in Bangladesh.  They all laughed….

I am hoping that from here I can keep up more regularly with this blog, as an expression of my day to day and the thoughts and new journeys that life may bring! 

I shall wrap this up here and catch up with you later!  I’m off to make some tea and find a blanket to cozy up in. 

Coming soon…

Words about being a Christian, and not allowing yourself to settle for being normal.  More to come…

Failing Expectations

                         

Everyone knows the feeling of living up to your own expectations (getting that job you wanted when you grew up, getting a raise after working 40+ hours a week, being married, having a family, maybe even getting that gig at the concert hall with the new band you just started, etc.).  And everyone knows the feeling of NOT living up to your own expectations (failing to make that deadline, not getting straight A’s, not getting that job, letting your friends or family down, or not reaching your goal at the gym that you made for your New Years resolution, etc.).  

The feelings of expectations for ones self, manage to reach both ends of the spectrum of emotion.  From extreme happiness and praise, to absolute frustration or anger.  Expectations can be a rollercoaster of emotion.   But the expectations that people face everyday and are usually the ones that end up giving us the fastest rollercoaster ride are the expectations that we encounter that other people have for us.  I am not talking about the expectations that our parents all may have had for us once upon a time, to get through school, learn to ride a bike, get a job, and a family or so on.  I am not talking about the expectations that we have for ourselves day to day, to pay our bills or be a better person or finish that project.  I am talking about the expectations that people have for us and our own self image. 

Some IDEAL expectations people may have for others that I have noticed (for the purpose of this example, we shall use “X” as a term used for the individual):

“Oh, X just went through a divorce, they seem miserable, or unhappy.”

“I met X once and they were absolutely rude to me, I wouldn’t want to talk to that person again if I see them.”

“I heard that X slept with so and so last year at the Christmas party.  What a horrible person!”

“X never seems happy.”

 I’m sure the list can go on and on.  I am also sure that sometimes there may be instances when this blog may not be applicable, but for a majority of the time, I’ve found expecations to be – well… read on. Its the truth, we all set expectations for others.  For people we don’t know, for people we know well, and sometimes for people we don’t know much at all, but act as if we do knkow them.  We set expectations for people’s actions or behaviors, on a daily basis.  And you know what I mean… you’ve all had those moments, when you see someone walk down the same isle at a grocery store, and whisper to yourself, ‘Ughh, please don’t say HI, please don’t say HI… you were a jerk to me at last year’s work party, and I wouldn’t have anything nice to say to you!”

I have noticed, that looking beyond my own “expectations” for other people is one of the hardest challenges that I have had to face.  I’m guilty of it.  Of knowing that X has been said to be the biggest know it all and always acts better than you, or that X just got pregnant by so and so and they aren’t married so…  or that maybe even a person I consider a friend said something rude to me one time, so I have just the worst of words to use to that person.  I have seen someone walk by me I know, and stories fill my mind of how they talked about this person behind their back, or did this with so and so or whatever.  Its like I talk to myself about other people when they step into a room and I create this image of them in my mind, that may or may not be true.  All it ever seems to be is my opinion, because who am I to pass judgement on someone else?   Well, the list can go on and on, and I am as guilty as anyone else of this.  We all do it, without really paying much attention sometimes.  It seems to be our nature, as we are creatures of habit. But the more I think about it, if I find myself challenged to have mercy on others and not look at them with my own expectations for them.  Its a struggle, but the Bible says, in Galatians 5:13-15 (NCV),”My brothers and sisters.  God called you to be free, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful self.  Serve each other with love.  The whole law is made complete in this one command; “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”  If you go on hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful, or you will completely destroy each other.”

If you read in Ephesians 4:17-32 – there are a few good points I’ll make note on.  “In the Lord’s name, I tell you this.  Do not continue living like those who do not believe.  Their thoughts are worth nothing.  They do not understand, and they know nothing, because they refuse to listen.”  “You were taught to leave your old self – to stop living the evil way you lived before.  That old self becomes worse, because people are fooled by evil things they want to do. 

I suppose I’m not entirely sure how to end this blog, but I do know that it seems easier to fail expectations, than it is to overcome them.  Perhaps I should start thinking the other way around, and allowing myself the chance to turn expectations into a word of hope and love and faith.  I will continue to work on not allowing myself to create negative expectations for people in my mind, and not to pass judgment. 

“Busy-ness” and Life

I have recently had a desire to turn life into more than just its day to day adventure and live out loud.  I noticed that the last time I blogged, was when I was introduced to this “wordpress” thing, the day I was baptized at Northgate.  I’ve found since then that I’ve been journeying non-stop, but have neglected to document!  My apologies!  I wasn’t quite sure that my day to day life was that intriguing!  But here I am, wanting to share my thoughts, and some laughter, and some questions, in hopes to grow in faith and friendship!  So here we begin again…

Do you ever have moments in your life, where you wake up, and it feels as if the second you propped yourself up in bed, that you were rushed to get a move on with your day?  You know, those days that your alarm clock ceases to go off, or you wake up realizing you have no clothes washed (or at least anything that matches!)  Or even when you have to rush out of the house with your socks mismatched!  Well I had one of those mornings today!  A morning that started out with me realizing there was SNOW, SO MUCH SNOW on the ground.  I became flustered in the fact that I had to go out and shovel the walkway and start the car AND get ready to get a move on to church.  I began to get ready, of course finding nothing to wear, I couldn’t find my make-up, short on time, and then realizing I had to start the car.  AND of course, I couldn’t find the keys… tearing up every inch of my room in search for them, and to no avail, left empty handed.  Finally I found them, hair a mess, dragged my feet through the inches of snow (on a positive note: a great powder for snowboarding/skiing!!)  shoveled and started the car! 

Kindly, my friend Mary let me use her car and so I had to pick her up for church.  OF COURSE as I was on my way, the usual Sunday church CD we always play wouldn’t work.  When she got in the car, I sat there and let it all out, not even giving her a chance to say a word!  I vented about my windblown hair, and my horrible morning!  And then I just sat there and thought to myself… “GOODNESS Arlana, if I could start this day all over again, I would!” 

We started off towards church and I just closed my eyes for a minute, took a few deep breaths and just tried to catch up with myself.  I felt as if my body were a million miles ahead of me, and my mind was simply…. in slow motion.  At that moment, I tried the CD one more time, and AMEN!  IT WORKED!  Listening to Point of Grace’s new song “Turn Up The Music” in my head… I realized that doesn’t it seem as if life never goes so great when you are in a hurry?  Haven’t there been days where you’ve woken up in a hurry to be busy?  Knowing you have this and that and this person and those things to do?  Needless to say, after my few deep breaths and when the CD finally decided to play… I found my make-up in my purse, and we got to church in plenty of time and even early enough to grab a cup of hot chocolate and just sit, unwind and relax before service started today.  I was able to sit there and admire the decorations that church had put up throughout the week and thank God for everything He has done. 

Are you simply finding yourself always in a hurry?  Always running here and there, just to keep being busy?  I do, more often than not.  And as I look back and think about those days, they are some of the worst days I’ve had!  Days where EVERYTHING seems to go wrong, and nothing seems to turn out my way!  But in the midst of the chaos, we are often reminded of God’s amazing love.  We share a smile, or someone opens a door for you, or asks how you are.  You get to leave work early, or there are no lines at the grocery store, or even Main Street is quiet so you hit all of the lights!  Someone helps you to meet your deadline for work or school.  Those are all a variety of small reminders that God sends our way, that if we just sit back and take a deep breath… if we just close our eyes and stop trying to be busy and hurry – we will see, that He IS there and He wants us to LIVE life and not just run it like its a marathon record we are trying to beat.  It will be crazy, and it will be chaotic, and it will be a challenge, but if we just take a deep breath, close our eyes and ask our amazing God to just handle our “busy-ness” then we may be opened to a brand new world! 

So in closing, AMEN and THANK YOU GOD for bad hair days, and 3 inch snowfalls and hot chocolate and busy days, that give us a reminder of laying it all at your feet. 

Stepping Stones…

A new day, a new journey into the world of “blogging” – but what better day to start a written documentary on my life than the day I was baptized. 

 Today had started as any ordinary day, I woke up, and went through my usual morning routine, and headed off to church with Mary.  I thought nothing different of my day, except that I knew it would be the day we said farewell to Pastor Paul at our church (Northgate Free Methodist — a church worthy of a blog of its own, so stay tuned!)  But there we sat in our usual seats, and worshipped and listened to Pastor Paul as he shared his words on “being a good friend” and I had the same feeling I usually do when I’m at church.  I listen to the words of the message, I hear Pastor Paul preach and nod my head slightly as I agree with things that are said and sporadically laugh and smile at a funny thing here or there, but yet I still find myself entangled in a web of questions that I just sit there asking myself.  Wondering who I truly am, or moreso what my true purpose is in life.  Wondering if I am really a Christian or not, or if I am a bad person because I have to ask for forgiveness everyday.  Or of course there is the question of how do I know if I am a Christian still, because I sinned yesterday, or did God really hear me when I said I was sorry…. ??????  But as Pastor Paul got up and started to do his baptizing ceremony, and we continued to worship as a family, I closed my eyes for a minute and just asked God what he wanted me to do.  Now, I don’t even really know if today’s service can be summed up into words, except for that it was completely overwhemling.  It was nothing short of a complete work of Christ.  But the words were being sang, and tears were being shed and emotions were definately flowing.  And I don’t know if I decided to turn to Mary, and tell her I was going to go up and get baptized when I felt my knees shaking, or my heart pounding, or if it was when I could feel the tears run down my face like an ocean’s tide, but I do know that it was when I heard and felt God calling to me and telling me to go.  So there I went, with a good friend holding my hand, and got baptized.  I have never really had a place where I could hug my pastor before, or shed tears in front of my church family before.  But there I was, and here I am, clean and whole and full of desire and passion for my Lord Jesus Christ.  A declaration I shall hold in my heart each morning I wake up, which in itself should make it to be far from… just an ordinary and average day.  I’ve learned that with Christ, there really is no such thing as a typical day.  And yes, I’ve had Christ before, and I’ve considered myself a Christian before, and actually, yes I was baptized before as my family so kindly reminded me of today, but I was not even old enough to speak, let alone to declare my personal faith, committment and love for Jesus. 

So here I am, sitting here wondering where my journey may lead me now.  But I don’t need to worry about that, I have jumped on a stepping stone, and my journey shall continue. 

 Until my next adventure…

… may angels watch over you and God hold you in His sweet and awesome embrace – today, tomorrow and for all of eternity.