QT and Fallacy

Well, it is a week into the whole "daily quiet time" thing, and it is going very nicely, thank you.=) We had a qt on Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday AND Wednesday. This Wednesday's was kind of abbreviated on my end, but I still had about half an hour just to sit and rest. I have finished one book, read an entire other book, started a completely different one, plus made progress on Lincoln. (he has been reelected, the Civil War in winding down, and I have less than 75 pages to go.=)) Quiet time is great!=) I have had to revamp my day to fit in a "guilt free" quiet time. Basically this has only involved getting up 30 minutes earlier on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so my run and shower are done early. Then I don't have to worry about fitting in a run in the early afternoon. Which leaves me time for qt. Today, Elsie and I are really going to whoop it up during qt. We are doing doing sugar scrub and pedicures. Got to keep those toes in tiptop barefoot condition.=) And, what is more relaxing than soaking your feet in hot water while reading a book and drinking tea?

Mere loves getting in my potatoes.

Yesterday BC finished up for the year. The students all protested that they wanted it to keep going. I told them that I need a break.=) But I will be back in the fall. It is a bittersweet thing saying goodbye. This portion of the population is very transient. I might not see some of them ever again. I do hope that the seeds sown all year will bear fruit, and I will see these kids in heaven. That is my prayer.
Random musing of the week...I am starting to sound like my mother. Sigh. I catch myself saying things that I remember my mom saying. And I think, "wow, that sounds just like my mom." I must be getting old. This is not necessarily a good or bad thing. It is just an observation. The thing I do that reminds me most of my mom is calling the family for dinner. Whether it is, "dinner time," or "let's eat", it is my mother's voice in my ear. What can I do?=)

familiar refrains for most moms-including my mom and Me.=)

Second random musing is the futility of "get rich quick" thinking. Have you ever noticed that most people seem to be hoping for a monetary windfall that just drops in their laps? A windfall that doesn't cost time, effort, or resources. Multilevel marketing schemes prey on people who are keeping this hope alive. Anytime you have a home party, the consultants are after sales, but more importantly, they are after signups. Whether it is candles, jewelry, beauty products, kitchen wares, cleaning products or food, the message is always the same. "You are currently doing such and such. It is such a drag. You work. Hours, every week. And you only make $_____. If you sell this product, you can pick your own hours. You will make tons of money. Its fun. You CAN make hundreds (or thousands) of dollars every month, for a minimum of time and effort." The thing that never gets mentioned is that the people who make that kind of money put a lot of effort into their business. They pursue the sales. They work lots of hours. And some weeks/months they hit it big. Some weeks/months they make next to nothing. The people who are getting rich are the people in the upper tiers, who aren't doing much, but are capitalizing on all the underling's efforts. This business is the fruition of their time, effort, resources, perseverance and dream.
Here in America, this whole notion of making big bucks for nothing, has taken over. Even in our failing economy, the majority still thinks they are worth huge salaries. And, to top that all off-even if you don't feel entitled to the big salary, you feel entitled to the big salary life style. Credit cards were not invented until the 1950s. That is not to say that people didn't buy on credit before then, because they did. Credit cards became more widespread in the 1980s. Before this, if someone wanted new furniture, chances are, they saved forever in order to purchase it. My generation wants the new house, brand new furniture, new car and other big toys. And they want it now. AND, they are hoping to turn that house in a few years, and end up with more money for it than what they paid. (and furnish the next house with all new furnishings to boot) Profit without effort. And, look where it got us. You can blame the banks, and Fannie May, but actually it all goes back to your common man on the street.
There is a pretty harsh word to describe this condition-greed. Wanting something for nothing. And not being content with what you have.
I find it ironic that Dave Ramsey learned the hard way about finances. And now his profitability comes from helping out thousands of people in the same boat. He advises cutting out everything not necessary, and then some. He advises hard work. His advice works. And it flies in the face of our current entitled, greedy, discontent society's thinking.
Behind almost every business success is a story of hard work, persistence, sacrifice, time and effort. There is no such thing as "get rich quick." It is a fallacy. And, furthermore, we aren't promised riches in this life. Paul was content with food and clothing. He found contentment in every circumstance-abundance or lack. He knew God would supply his, and the Philippians', needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. The author of Hebrews wrote, "let your behavior be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He hath said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you.'" That is the key to contentment-awarness that Jesus Christ is always with us. It eliminates a "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality.
The random musings of this barefoot hippie are ended.=)