A couple news items have piqued my interest this week so I thought I'd share them with you.
The first item was an article on msnbc.com titled "As food prices spiral, farmers, others profit" . Just the title alone irritated me. I've read/seen a few articles in the last couple of months about how farmers are making big bucks, inferring that they are profiting at the expense of others. If I still lived in Los Angeles I would probably be saying "Hey! That's not fair!!" and getting all uppity about it. Fortunately I have had the privilege of living in a rural farming community for the last 17 years which has given me an entirely different perspective on things.
For instance, yes, farmers may be doing well this year but more often than not, family farming isn't a money-making venture. If you know anything about growing things, you also know that you are always at the mercy of the elements. What looks like a great crop in May can be devastated by any number of events in June, ruining the entire growing season. So I say "God bless the farmers" and I'm glad they are seeing some good profit this year. Hopefully it will make up for the years when they have lost money or barely broke even.
In my region there has been so much rain that the corn farmers are in danger of losing their crops, as the ground is too wet for the corn to grow properly. Once you have prepped the ground & planted corn, it's too late to plant something else, like soybeans. You're just out of luck. So the farmers here may not end up doing so hot this year.
If you are a city person who is unlearned in the ways of farming, just be glad that some family in the Midwest can pay off their bills from the previous years when they fed you and didn't make a profit from it. (Yes, I know about subsidies and, yes, I know about corporate farms. But I'm talking about the independent family farmer here.)
The other item that got my attention was a piece on NBC the other night that talked about how we are all suffering because we can't afford to buy (insert pricey grocery item here). Many of us have become incredibly spoiled and lost all perspective when it comes to "wants" and "needs". We have even raised our kids to think that "wants" are "needs". Well, hello reality check!
I wonder if we would be so cranky about having to "do without" if we had been through the Depression? My parents aren't complaining much about the economy. They're just adjusting like they've had to do before in their lifetime. Of course, because they went through the Depression, they have been more wise with their finances than we Baby Boomers. Their generation, generally speaking, has not taken the time of plenty for granted.
Ecclesiastes speaks eloquently about the seasons of life. In Chapter 11, Solomon says:
"Divide your investments among many places for you do not know what risks might lie ahead...Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don't know if profit will come from one activity or another-or maybe both."
I know there are people who are genuinely in need. CNN reported last night that visits to food banks are up 55% in the last few months and that a lot of those visitors are first-timers. I do believe, however, that we may have lost perspective on what we "need" to get along. Is it important to buy name-brand chips instead of store brand? Why do we feel deprived when we have to conserve our resources? Can we just acknowledge that there are economic seasons of life and we are currently in a tough time that will likely pass in a year or two?
There is an interesting article on The Art of Manliness blog about sacrifice that points out what Americans were willing to go through during WWII to help their nation. A quote from President Roosevelt really resonated with me:
Here at home everyone will have the privilege of making whatever self-denial is necessary, not only to supply our fighting men, but to keep the economic structure of our country fortified and secure during the war and after the war. This will require, of course, the abandonment not only of luxuries but of many other creature comforts….
I encourage you to read that post. It really helps put things into perspective for the sacrifices we must make during this time of war and of economic downturn.
As Christians, we have the assurance that God is the one who supplies what we need when we need it. All that we have was put into our hands because of His grace and provision towards us.
My goal is to complain less about cost of living and concentrate more on the many blessings that already are in my life. I also want to look more outside my four walls and ask God where to plant my seed so that it will do the most good. There is always someone worse off and perhaps I can be of service to them instead of being a discouragement to myself.
I love this post. I heard the best sermon once on this, about knowing how to live in plenty and in want. I hope this generation can learn to navigate this leaner season well. Wouldn't it be wonderful if these years of relative want in America would actually become the years that more is given to the countries that live almost always in want? That would be some lovely history to read someday.
Posted by: Serenity | May 29, 2008 at 10:20 PM