As many of you know, our family kind of lives in the dark ages. No cable, still using a VCR for some things. TV is 9 years old. This is at least the 4th home for most of our furniture - sofa is ripped. Wood is chipped. Our back doors, some windows and our kitchen have looked the same since somewhere between 1958 and 1972.
We had been holding out on updating/replacing a lot of these things because, you know, well...we just didn't have the money. And we've always been taught not to spend money you don't have. And there have been other things we've considered more important. But that was before this morning, when I was presented with this brilliant idea.
We have decided to approach our family for the money. But we're not going to present it like "Hey, there are these things we really really want but we don't really have the money to buy them." No, we're going to give them an opportunity to donate the money in honor or memory of whoever they want! And we'll put a sticker on whatever it is they want to fund! For example, if my sister wants to honor her husband the tech-guy, she can give us the money for our new TV, and we'll just slap a sticker on the back -no, we'll even make a plaque! - with his name on it. He'll love it! And my dad can honor my mom-the-security-conscious by giving us the money for the new hurricane sliders we'd like to have. It would make her feel so much more comfortable about our safety, and anytime anyone visits, they would see how much my dad loves my mom because their names would be right there on the doors! I mean, no one would really get to enjoy the stuff but us, but, they sure would feel like they'd contributed! And my brother, who loves those shows on cable about dangerous arctic fishing would be so touched if my sister-in-law paid monthly for our cable in honor of him. We'd put their names right there on the box!
Really, these are things that all homes hoping to keep up these days really need. The old ways work fine, sure, but if we really want to make ourselves efficient and relevant, well, then we need to make these upgrades. And now we've figured out how!
Posted, sarcastically, by Amy, in lieu of my other idea "What you can buy for the least of these with $12".
I agree with the initial tone and object of the implied sarcasm. I can't let this one go and really want some explanation as to why this is something that is important enough to take up time, money and effort.
But is it just about their thing?
Mandi and I support mission and suffice it to say we DO give (I wrote a list of the things we gave to, but erased it due to the whole "right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing" idea). We don't give ALL we possibly can but we have cut things so that we can have more money to give to worthwhile things.
BUT, this past weekend, we stayed at a Bed and Breakfast for 2 nights. That was a couple hundred bucks spent well in my opinion as it brought us great rest and time alone together.
I wonder if it will be looked down on by others as wasteful. We could have stayed at home, rested and dug a couple of clean water wells with Blood/Water/Mission.
Posted by: Brad | June 29, 2008 at 10:18 PM
It's not about being wasteful, it's about the whole show. We are all responsible for the choices we make with the money God has given us, and it's no one's business...until we are asked to contribute to "the cause." If you and Mandi spent $500 on a much needed vacation (let's call it a family-building retreat), then great! People should trust that you had planned and had the money available. But if you and Mandi spend $500 on a vacation that really, only the two of you will enjoy, and then come ask your family to help you with your grocery bill...
As you know, our church family is well aware of the church's budget deficit. Many of the families in the church sacrifice in order to be able to give more...yet the church seems to go on spending on unnecessary improvements (not family-building retreats), in the hopes (or faith?) that we'll make it up somewhere - probably in the next cheesy giving campaign. As a church member, it makes me feel like someone is taking advantage of me.
Posted by: amy | June 30, 2008 at 08:34 AM
hey, I'd like to read the post on what you can buy for the least of these with $12. also, Dawn and I like slurpees and will buy you a new blender if you will engrave our name on it.
Posted by: berry | June 30, 2008 at 11:39 PM
Isn't it amazing how critical some people can be when they have never filled the shoes of someone in ministry. Even when you have to sacrifice to make a trip, you do so to keep your sanity from the crazy people you deal with the rest of the year.
Posted by: Linda | July 01, 2008 at 12:25 AM
This annoyed me too when I first heard about it. I actually posed the question to at least one person that is around the decision making and they gave two possible reasons:
1) The second service uses them, because not everyone can see the screen.
2) Its possible we may have to have them because their could be copyright laws rules for showing song lyrics on a screen, etc. Just like you have to buy sheet music to play it a lot of times, or buy music to listen to it legally, its possible that they may have to have books with the music and words in it to continue performing and singing it.
In regards to spending money frivolously, well, I can't comment because I don't really get involved enough in that aspect to know too much about it. The one time I went to a finance meeting I walked away feeling rather small and useless, so I decided that GOD probably could use me better elsewhere. Plus that kind of thing doesn't really peak my interest too much- unless I feel like someone might actually listen or if I could actually make a difference.
At any rate... You could always just give all your money to Vanessa so that she can start her tour :)
Posted by: John Thompson | July 01, 2008 at 03:23 PM
3 cheers for dealing with crazy people! Hip hip horay! Hip hip horay! Hip hip horay!
Posted by: Vanessa | July 01, 2008 at 10:53 PM