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Jul. 25th, 2005 10:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blistermothI finished listening to the audiobook of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone last night. I feel like I'm the last person on earth to read it. Rowling is a master storyteller. The reader on the tape, Jim Dale, is brilliant too. I'll start the tape of Chamber of Secrets on the way into work.
My favorite laundromat is closing to remodel for a month. It's a very nice one so I'm not sure why. Maybe the new owners will put the TVs away from the washing machines so I don't have to listen to Oprah insult moms who don't have the time and money to outfit themselves to the standards of "What Not to Wear."
But I really want to write about is my sensitivity to when people at church talk about finances, specifically their latest purchases. Yesterday friends of mine at church we're talking about their new car which was "just under $20,000." Now I know that $20K isn't a lot of money to spend on a new car. But I feel inferior cos I can't imagine spending that much on a car in my lifetime. Inflation may prove me wrong I guess. Then there's my friends from the church I used to go who are buying a very nice house that my librarian salary will never be able to afford either. On the other hand, I'm fully aware that I have more resources than 85% of the world. So why do I feel inferior in the above situations? Jealousy is the problem I guess. I should be happy when my friends can afford nice things. On the other hand I feel quite ashamed of my air-conditioner less house and dirty, scratched up car. But I wonder how many people have left the church in similiar situations? Should we caution against such discussions for the sake of the kingdom?
My favorite laundromat is closing to remodel for a month. It's a very nice one so I'm not sure why. Maybe the new owners will put the TVs away from the washing machines so I don't have to listen to Oprah insult moms who don't have the time and money to outfit themselves to the standards of "What Not to Wear."
But I really want to write about is my sensitivity to when people at church talk about finances, specifically their latest purchases. Yesterday friends of mine at church we're talking about their new car which was "just under $20,000." Now I know that $20K isn't a lot of money to spend on a new car. But I feel inferior cos I can't imagine spending that much on a car in my lifetime. Inflation may prove me wrong I guess. Then there's my friends from the church I used to go who are buying a very nice house that my librarian salary will never be able to afford either. On the other hand, I'm fully aware that I have more resources than 85% of the world. So why do I feel inferior in the above situations? Jealousy is the problem I guess. I should be happy when my friends can afford nice things. On the other hand I feel quite ashamed of my air-conditioner less house and dirty, scratched up car. But I wonder how many people have left the church in similiar situations? Should we caution against such discussions for the sake of the kingdom?
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Date: 2005-07-26 01:49 pm (UTC)Your comments about the car reminds me of a conversation I want to have with a co-worker. She is very wealthy, and thinks that the sensitive thing to do when she wants us all to go out to lunch is to suggest somewhere expensive and offer to pay for me. I don't usually want to go somewhere I can't afford, and then depend on her charity. I want her to join me at the places I like, and can afford.
My point in bringing up my own stuff is, I think it's about much more than jealousy. I want her to be willing to honor my lifestyle, my choices, my tastes, my resources... no matter where we both are on the continuum of relative wealth and poverty in the world. But that's a hard conversation to have. She thinks she's doing me a favor, because of course the more expensive option must be better, right? The first thing we can do to align our money stuff with the Kingdom is to stop equating price with value.