So I got so much email about my last post, and I think I've offended some people, so if you think I was writing about your business, I probably wasn't.
Though, I was trying to make a statement of those who don't practice what they preach, and I did base it off of three real, live businesses I'm in contact with. Well, just know, that I was talking about how bad it is not to practice what you preach. And, even I'm guilty of that. (I'm a parent!)
I have other pressing thoughts on my mind today, so I'll have to delve into this topic at a later date...
Monday, April 27, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
the matrix
So I know this business. It runs at a deficit. It's a noble place, doing good in the community and helping those less fortunate. But, it runs in the red...as in red like our Carolina soil.
And it preaches for people to live within their means. And it teaches families how create a budget and stick to it. And it praises those who become and stay debt free. Great stuff, right?
Only, the business doesn't follow those rules. The business has large debt and doesn't work within a prudent budget. The business is above the rules, not because it's "holier than thou," but because it does God's work: aiding the poor and stregthening the weak. It takes money to do that.
So, I'm left wondering...can it really preach a Dave Ramsey lifestyle to its customers when the business itself can't do better than most households in America?
What would you say to the business owner?
I asked one time and I got a cryptic answer about how the business is not making the money it should based on the matrix of similarly sized businesses. The customers just need to buy more. Hmmm, I didn't know it worked that way.
With that logic, if I buy a bigger house with a bigger mortgage, but my household income stays the same, then I need to go to my employer and say, I need more money. You need to pay me more becuase I should be making more based on the matrix of similarly educated individuals. The matrix says I should be making more than I do, so you need to pay me that because that's where I set my budget.
My employer is going to look at me like I'm sporting a pink mohawk. What I get is what I get based on the job I have here, not what another widget worker in Cincinnati or down the street is making.
What this business earns it what it earns. It doesn't matter what the matrix says it SHOULD earn, it earns what it earns.
Instead of basing their budget on real-life intake, they base their budget on a matrix that clearly doesn't apply. They spend what the widget factory on the next block spends, even though the other factory generates more income.
People who use this business are encouraged to base their budget on their current household income, but the business itself designs its own budget based on a matrix of identical companies? Huh?
Honestly, the whole thing confuses me. I think I'll go consult the matrix.
And it preaches for people to live within their means. And it teaches families how create a budget and stick to it. And it praises those who become and stay debt free. Great stuff, right?
Only, the business doesn't follow those rules. The business has large debt and doesn't work within a prudent budget. The business is above the rules, not because it's "holier than thou," but because it does God's work: aiding the poor and stregthening the weak. It takes money to do that.
So, I'm left wondering...can it really preach a Dave Ramsey lifestyle to its customers when the business itself can't do better than most households in America?
What would you say to the business owner?
I asked one time and I got a cryptic answer about how the business is not making the money it should based on the matrix of similarly sized businesses. The customers just need to buy more. Hmmm, I didn't know it worked that way.
With that logic, if I buy a bigger house with a bigger mortgage, but my household income stays the same, then I need to go to my employer and say, I need more money. You need to pay me more becuase I should be making more based on the matrix of similarly educated individuals. The matrix says I should be making more than I do, so you need to pay me that because that's where I set my budget.
My employer is going to look at me like I'm sporting a pink mohawk. What I get is what I get based on the job I have here, not what another widget worker in Cincinnati or down the street is making.
What this business earns it what it earns. It doesn't matter what the matrix says it SHOULD earn, it earns what it earns.
Instead of basing their budget on real-life intake, they base their budget on a matrix that clearly doesn't apply. They spend what the widget factory on the next block spends, even though the other factory generates more income.
People who use this business are encouraged to base their budget on their current household income, but the business itself designs its own budget based on a matrix of identical companies? Huh?
Honestly, the whole thing confuses me. I think I'll go consult the matrix.
Monday, April 13, 2009
bridges vs. canyons
It's difficult to stay on the right path when the enemy whispers in our ear at every chance--noticing even the smallest chink in our armor--and he's ready and willing to parade our fears and faults in front of us like an over-the-top Macy's Thanksgiving Day event.
When I'm tired, I allow anger to take shape. And, when I'm feeling abandoned, alone or abused by another COG (child of God), I'm righteous in how I'm going to "get back" at those who have wronged me.
Mostly, I'll turn and run. Nothing says "you pissed me off" like a Grand Canyon of distance coupled with the silence on the moon. You want me? Well, now you can't have me!
But, did they "tick me off" or am I just being overly sensitive? Do they even notice the chasm between us?
It comes down to communication. Taking the difficult step and mangling the words crafted to express what's going on with me and inquiring what's going on with you. Bridging understanding rather than giving up. Beating on like a boat against the current.
It's hard. But, it's what we should do. Because, so often it's not about what "they" did to "us," it's about how "we" took it.
When I'm tired, I allow anger to take shape. And, when I'm feeling abandoned, alone or abused by another COG (child of God), I'm righteous in how I'm going to "get back" at those who have wronged me.
Mostly, I'll turn and run. Nothing says "you pissed me off" like a Grand Canyon of distance coupled with the silence on the moon. You want me? Well, now you can't have me!
But, did they "tick me off" or am I just being overly sensitive? Do they even notice the chasm between us?
It comes down to communication. Taking the difficult step and mangling the words crafted to express what's going on with me and inquiring what's going on with you. Bridging understanding rather than giving up. Beating on like a boat against the current.
It's hard. But, it's what we should do. Because, so often it's not about what "they" did to "us," it's about how "we" took it.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
it's not about the money
So she said, "but that's not helping people!"
When our church put up butcher paper along the walls and asked the congregants (love that silly word) to offer ways to help those in need or ask for help from others, Hubby and I grabbed pens. Hubby asked for help finding a job, and we also offered some ways we could help out others in our community. One way was to invite people to join us at our table. Our cup and plates runneth over, so we thought, hey, guys, come on over! We'll make you dinner. Our kids can play. We can talk and eat. We'll do the dishes.
Seemed reasonable enough to me.
She didn't think so. She thinks we need to make meals and deliver them.
"But," I said, "others are doing that. Inviting people to our table for company and companionship and good food is what we're giving."
"That's putting strings with your gift," she protested.
"No, that IS the gift," I shot back.
See, we get so caught up in thinking we have to give things to people. Money, food, clothes, whatever, we concentrate solely on transfering items to people. And that's good. But, I sincerely believe that there's more.
Jesus invited us into a relationship with him. He's all about the relationship, with him and between all of us. You can't have a relationship with someone when you drop off a meal and leave. Or, you take a bag of clothes to a shelter. Or, you write a check. Those aren't relational. Those are important, but they're not the whole story and they don't delve into what Jesus is about.
Likewise, just because someone has money doesn't mean they don't need someone to minister to them.
My church spends a lot of time on the poor. And, that's great. I love them for it. But, in my church's backyard is a very wealthy part of town. The attitude of some congregants is that "those wealthy people" need to give more and do more for the less fortunate in our society. And, that could be true.
However, does anyone ever ask, how can we minister to "those wealthy people?" They may have full bank accounts and full bellies, but they are probably emotionally bankrupt. You don't have to be poor to be desititute. The rich need compassion and love, too.
We get so caught up in the "helping the poor" that we forget we are directed to help EVERYONE! Not just someone who doesn't have food or shelter. We are required to do that. But, how about doing something harder? How about helping out a rich person? How about helping heal their heart?
God is above money, and we should be too. But far too often when it comes to ministry it's totally focused on money--who has it, who doesn't, and how we can get the people who have it to give it to the people who don't.
But, what if we sidestepped money? What if we didn't rate peoples' needs on the basis of their bank accounts?
What would it look like if a financially deprived person who is heart healthy helped a financially sound person who is heart heavy?
When our church put up butcher paper along the walls and asked the congregants (love that silly word) to offer ways to help those in need or ask for help from others, Hubby and I grabbed pens. Hubby asked for help finding a job, and we also offered some ways we could help out others in our community. One way was to invite people to join us at our table. Our cup and plates runneth over, so we thought, hey, guys, come on over! We'll make you dinner. Our kids can play. We can talk and eat. We'll do the dishes.
Seemed reasonable enough to me.
She didn't think so. She thinks we need to make meals and deliver them.
"But," I said, "others are doing that. Inviting people to our table for company and companionship and good food is what we're giving."
"That's putting strings with your gift," she protested.
"No, that IS the gift," I shot back.
See, we get so caught up in thinking we have to give things to people. Money, food, clothes, whatever, we concentrate solely on transfering items to people. And that's good. But, I sincerely believe that there's more.
Jesus invited us into a relationship with him. He's all about the relationship, with him and between all of us. You can't have a relationship with someone when you drop off a meal and leave. Or, you take a bag of clothes to a shelter. Or, you write a check. Those aren't relational. Those are important, but they're not the whole story and they don't delve into what Jesus is about.
Likewise, just because someone has money doesn't mean they don't need someone to minister to them.
My church spends a lot of time on the poor. And, that's great. I love them for it. But, in my church's backyard is a very wealthy part of town. The attitude of some congregants is that "those wealthy people" need to give more and do more for the less fortunate in our society. And, that could be true.
However, does anyone ever ask, how can we minister to "those wealthy people?" They may have full bank accounts and full bellies, but they are probably emotionally bankrupt. You don't have to be poor to be desititute. The rich need compassion and love, too.
We get so caught up in the "helping the poor" that we forget we are directed to help EVERYONE! Not just someone who doesn't have food or shelter. We are required to do that. But, how about doing something harder? How about helping out a rich person? How about helping heal their heart?
God is above money, and we should be too. But far too often when it comes to ministry it's totally focused on money--who has it, who doesn't, and how we can get the people who have it to give it to the people who don't.
But, what if we sidestepped money? What if we didn't rate peoples' needs on the basis of their bank accounts?
What would it look like if a financially deprived person who is heart healthy helped a financially sound person who is heart heavy?
Saturday, February 14, 2009
More questions than answers
So the question is, do you need to have your issue resolved before you can minister in that area? Like a drunk still drinking, can he be an AA sponsor? Or, a sex addict still indulging but guiding others away from porn?
The answer seems obvious, you say, "of course not!" So do I.
But is it really that simple?
What about the mother whose own mother's atrocities keep her from repeating the error? Or, the woman who uses the lessons from her abusive ex to forge a good marriage?
What if these people still harbor hatred and venom and use that to make goodness? Does it taint the good being done? Is it vinegar instead of wine?
The answer seems obvious, you say, "of course not!" So do I.
But is it really that simple?
What about the mother whose own mother's atrocities keep her from repeating the error? Or, the woman who uses the lessons from her abusive ex to forge a good marriage?
What if these people still harbor hatred and venom and use that to make goodness? Does it taint the good being done? Is it vinegar instead of wine?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Fog
"Visions are born in the soul of a man or woman who is consumed with the tension between what is and what could be.”--Andy Stanley, Visioneering
Call it mid-life crisis, or Spring Fever, or what-have-you, I have tension and no vision. Hubby and I are going through a period together of figuring out what our world needs to look like. And, it's not easy.
Where do we live, what do we do, how do we live, what is our lifestyle, what does God want us to do, how can we give...the possibilities for us are mind-boggling, yet there are only a few right answers. We just can't see them in the myriad of choices.
Today was a pea soup foggy day, the kind I used to love in San Francisco, as the fog bank would roll in off the ocean and down the Bay in the late afternoons. And that's how my mind felt this morning. Thick with droplets as many as the stars in the sky, it was like walking through an airborne sea, and I was unable to contemplate the drops individually. I saw only the mass, the huge rolls of white clouds blanketing the trees and the ground equally, but I could not rest my eyes on a single drop.
What is that drop, God, that is Cat and Hubby's perfect drop? What is it you want us to do?
Call it mid-life crisis, or Spring Fever, or what-have-you, I have tension and no vision. Hubby and I are going through a period together of figuring out what our world needs to look like. And, it's not easy.
Where do we live, what do we do, how do we live, what is our lifestyle, what does God want us to do, how can we give...the possibilities for us are mind-boggling, yet there are only a few right answers. We just can't see them in the myriad of choices.
Today was a pea soup foggy day, the kind I used to love in San Francisco, as the fog bank would roll in off the ocean and down the Bay in the late afternoons. And that's how my mind felt this morning. Thick with droplets as many as the stars in the sky, it was like walking through an airborne sea, and I was unable to contemplate the drops individually. I saw only the mass, the huge rolls of white clouds blanketing the trees and the ground equally, but I could not rest my eyes on a single drop.
What is that drop, God, that is Cat and Hubby's perfect drop? What is it you want us to do?
Monday, December 22, 2008
Christmas Challenge
It's easy to be cavalier about money when you have it.
It's easy to give love when you are filled with it.
It's easy to help others when you have time.
It's easy to give generously when you're overflowing.
Easy stuff is, well, easy.
The challenge is to do something difficult. The challenge in life is to give, help, offer and love when you don't feel like it, when you're sure you can't do it, when you're positive it will zap you dry.
The widow who gave her few coins epitomizes our directive to give and trust whether or not we have some to spare.
I am going to challenge myself to follow her example.
It's easy to give love when you are filled with it.
It's easy to help others when you have time.
It's easy to give generously when you're overflowing.
Easy stuff is, well, easy.
The challenge is to do something difficult. The challenge in life is to give, help, offer and love when you don't feel like it, when you're sure you can't do it, when you're positive it will zap you dry.
The widow who gave her few coins epitomizes our directive to give and trust whether or not we have some to spare.
I am going to challenge myself to follow her example.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)