The main cause of our country's financial meltdown is now generally accepted to be greed.
In this country we have come to idolize the golden calf, the almighty dollar, and all the material things the dollar can surround ourselves with.
The scriptures warn us not to be sidetracked by this temptation. Yet we've fallen into this deep hole. Just as the Israelites made the mistake of worshipping a golden calf as a God during the time of Moses, we now worship our money, our cars, our large homes, and as many bangles and trinkets we can gather.
It's troubling to me. I do believe that we've lost focus on the things that are truly important.
I was blessed to have a father like I have. My Dad truly understood this concept.
Sure, my Dad did well for himself. He provided us with a nice home on a nice piece of land. But he never surrounded himself with excess.
My Dad enjoyed the stares as he drove to work in a 1962 Rambler that was held together with putty. He was always humble. He was always giving to others. He saw no need to surround himself with trinkets and bangles and jewelry. Greed, or excess, was never a part of his philosophy.
I learned a lot from watching him.
When my cancer moved into my brain I received a rather anonymous check for $5,000. I was touched and overwhelmed by such generosity.
I returned the check. I was OK financially. There had to be someone out there who needed this more than me.
I wonder how many people would have done that? Certainly some would. But I'm sure many wouldn't.
Money truly cannot buy happiness. Money cannot buy love. Money cannot buy friends, at least not true friends. Money cannot buy a beautiful sunset. Money cannot buy a waterfall.
These are ideals I've fortunately always had embedded inside me thanks to my Dad.
Why buy a BMW or a Mercedes when a 1962 Rambler can do the job? I know someone who has nine unbelievably expensive cars. The net worth of his nine cars is over $1 million. I couldn't do that. I'd be overwhelmed with guilt. Just think how many people that could feed.
I think Jesus was born into poverty, and lived his life in poverty, as a lesson for us all.
We have a sickness in this country, and it is greed. But it is an empty life without the true rewards that life has to offer.
I wouldn't deny anyone a comfortable life. But where is the point when comfort turns into excess? And worse yet we've become a society that looks up to, and admires excess. We idolize our billionaires (with a "B") and wish we could be like them.
But I don't. I idolize my Dad, and his 1962 Rambler.
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It is a wonderful thing to hear when your children openly tell you how much they admire a parent. Many parents don't get to hear that -- in fact it is more often the opposite. Unfortunately kids don't come with an instruction book so parents have to fly by the seat of their pants so to speak when raising their kids. We were certainly no different. Jimmy, your dad was always special in so many ways as was his father before him. I adored his father -- if anybody could truly be branded a Christian, Henry Albert was that person. He never ever spoke a bad word about anybody. He was truly a person who could see the good in the worst of circumstances. He was a calm and gentle man. He and his brother owned a big bakery throughout the depressesion and always delivered bread to those who could not pay -- other goodies as well. So many people have told me that they would not have had anything to eat if it would not have been for the Alberts. That was philosophy of their business continued until first Stanley died and then Henry died. Paul picked up that mantle and ran with it as well. Harold became a doctor and it was amazing how many people spoke of his kindnesses to them while they were his patients. If they couldn't pay, it was never held against them. People here in town also tell me about Paul's generosity to them in many ways even to this day. He is dubbed "a good guy". To the Albert family making money in excess was never an issue--they all merely wanted to support their familes and that didn't necessarily translate into new cars, jewels, clothes, or the bling of life. All they ever wanted to do was fill the empty stocking with love, peace, tolerance and happiness for everybody. That old Rambler always brings a smile to my face. It was 3 toned -- brown, beige and white. Paul rather enjoyed that car and would still be driving it had it not passed inspection with the floor boards rusted out. What fun we had in those days. Actually we never owned a new car until 1998 when we bought a new Buick -- it was our very first new car, all the others were used cars. We did buy a new Jeep in 1980 but that was only because it was a model left over from a previous year and the price was exactly what we wanted to pay. All I have in my life to this day is what your dad gave me and he gave me so much more than the things that money could buy. I am really happy that you can see through your own eyes just how special he is. He is truly the best and I cannot imagine my life without him. There were many times in our marriage when he could have wrung my little neck for stupid things but he just always smiled and said "well, try to do better next time". I have never seen him angry and he has never raised his voice. How many people do you know that can fit that bill -- certainly not your mother but I do try because I have the utmost respect for him and his life. Love Ya MOM
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