Fly on the Top

"The fly on the top, becomes the fly on the bottom" with just a turn of the wheel. It is a dilemma of our lives--how much is enough? Is there ever too much?

Proverbs 30:7-9 Two things have I asked of thee; Deny me them not before I die: 8) Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is needful for me: 9) Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is Jehovah? Or lest I be poor, and steal, And use profanely the name of my God.

Two simple things. Hmm--remove far from me falsehood and lies; and number two? give me neither poverty--nor riches. Why is that Solomon?

Lest I be full--and deny God (and say, 'Who is Jehovah?) or lest I be poor and steal (become dishonest and bring shame upon the name of God).

Sometimes I find myself thinking, "Lord, did I REALLY need that?" or "Lord, I really DO need that!"
There isn't much difference in those two sentences. Most of the difference is where you put the emphasis.

"Just look at all those new apartments!" I exclaim as we drive through the city. Soon we pass more new buildings, but these are brand spanking new--very expensive--houses. "Who is it that says our population is shrinking?" I ask in wonder.

It's an hour's drive home, and as we drive up to our modest--built over forty years ago-- house, I wonder with a sigh, how those folks can afford those almost palaces. If you took all the money we have made in the last thirty years--perhaps it would pay for one of those places. It reminds me of the 'fly on the top'. It also reminds me of Margery.

"You know," Margery says to me (this was when we were both much younger) "I used to look at certain other people, and I thought they had everything so wonderful. They had nice homes, nice kids, nice...well, you know what I mean. Then I got to know them...better. I decided then and there, I wouldn't want to trade places with them and have their problems--for no amount of money. Everyone has their own problems, and I guess I would just as soon stick with the problems that I have--and I'll let them keep theirs."

Are there things about my life I'd like to change? Sure are. Is my life perfect? Sure isn't. Can I think of anyone I'd like to change lives with? Sure can't.

Our house could stand to be larger, and be arranged somewhat differently. It would be nice if the water worked a lot better, but...I'm so thankful.

I get up of a morning to the sound of a rooster blowing his horn and look across fields of corn, beans, hay, or maybe just pasture. My husband knows the neighbors...and has known the neighbors since before some of them were born. There is a spirit of independence here where the wind blows free. It probably is some twerk in my genes that I can't help. I wouldn't want to live in the city where all that can be seen is houses and buildings, people and cars.

Ecclesiastes 5:11 "When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding of them with his eyes?"

Ecclesisastes 5:12 " The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep."

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!