I come from a very materialistic family. My great grandparents didn't seem materialistic or at least their lifestyles didn't reflect that. Both of my Grandpas appeared to see money as a tool. One Grandpa, whom I recently wrote about was a very giving person, and money was a means to obtain the gifts he wanted to share. He was also pretty savvy on the marketing promotions, so he did all right. My grandma, his wife, on the other hand was always focused on making money. It's rather sad that she spent so much of her life missing events and interactions because of work. As the eldest grandchild, most of my memories of Grandma involve her arriving late to whatever the family event was, and leaving early to go to work. Now that she's in a nursing home, she's not working, but she doesn't really remember who any of her grandchildren are.
My paternal grandparents were more of a team, and they enjoyed what their money could buy. They saved and made wise purchases, but they also enjoyed nice automobiles and vacations. That grandpa taught me how many CDs you could keep in one bank, before you needed to open up an account in a new bank . . . Money wasn't the "be all and end all," but they were comfortable. My parents, however; set a very different monetary standard than their parents, one the grandchildren all admire. My lifestyle is difficult for my parents to accept, so they are relieved that my kids and grandkids have not followed my value system.
Here's how I see it. I get to go to bed at night, knowing and hearing the Voice of the Creator of the universe. I don't have to set an alarm, because there are roosters who know the precise moment before daybreak! I am afforded a leisurely cup of coffee through devotion time and enjoy no pressure to apply make-up, no office dress code, and not fighting traffic on my way to work. I work from home on the computer, and being out in the boonies, the one down side is expensive and limited internet access, but my definition of expensive and other's may be completely different. My most materialistic child doesn't bat an eye at spending thousands of dollars a month with nothing to show for it, but chides me about my internet expense. Now, back to varying realities.
I was a bit taken aback as my grandson described life in a smaller town now. When I asked him if he lived in a house or an apartment, he said, "We live in a house, a rather nice house." My response was, Oh, your Dad bought a house? "No, we're renting. That way we can live in a nicer house than buying . . ." I'm giving all this information because the truth of the matter is; I know I have things I would never be able to afford if I had a regular job with a financial focus.
When my grandson mentioned how much he enjoy feta cheese and how expensive it was, I took the opportunity to reel the boy in. I asked him if he knew how feta cheese was made. He didn't, so I was able to share with him, the fact that feta cheese was made with sheep or goat's milk. He then informed me that I could be making feta cheese and selling it. I told him, I did make cheese, he'd had it and loved it. His eyes got big as he remembered eating my home made cheese. His comment was something to the effect of how he hadn't realized G-ma's cheese could make so much money. My comment was a bit earthier.
We talked that day about how much money people have to make to pay for things G-d really just wants to give them. We discussed the dollar value for everything I enjoy because this is my work. As he figured, he just couldn't cross over that line in his mind to the other perspective. I pray he sees it. As I hear the price of grass fed beef, non-GMO vegetables, organic produce, free range chickens, and eggs from free range hens, raw goat's milk, specialty cheeses, not to mention being spared the cost of gasoline and stress in daily traffic and the amazing perk of non-fluoridated underground spring water, I've realized I couldn't find mainstream employment that would afford me, the lifestyle I enjoy!
I'm not anti-money, but I am against the love of money.
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