An Unhealthy Appetite for Debt

While financial debt seems to have become an accepted way of life, our nation may just be digging a hole so deep that succeeding generations will not be able to climb out. Our consumer and material obsessed culture is sending a strong message to emerging generations telling them it's okay to go into debt to satisfy your personal appetite regardless of the terms. Personal debt is at an all-time high and climbing. Individuals and families seem to be following the lead of our government. According to the Bloomberg Report:

May 30 (Bloomberg) -- For the moment, at least, financing the U.S. budget deficit may be getting less arduous as foreign investors now own a record 80 percent of the Treasury notes due in three to 10 years. Not since the 19th century have foreigners held so much American debt, said Alan Taylor, a professor of economic history at the University of California, Davis. International investors own $672 billion of the $835.4 billion Treasuries due in three to 10 years, according to research by Lawrence Dyer, a New York- based strategist at HSBC Securities USA Inc., the investment banking arm of HBSC Holdings Plc in London.

The national consumer debt average is somewhere around $8,000 per family. This does not include home mortgages. According to MSN.com , 43% of U.S. families spend more than they earn. In 2004, consumers owed $2-trillion in debt and $750-billion (Billion with a "B") was attributed to credit card debt.

Half of all U.S. households with debt report having difficulty making their minimum monthly payments. If the average debt is $8,000 per family and you make the minimum payment at 18% interest, it will take 25 years and 7 months to pay off the debt. And it will amount to $15,000 in interest being paid. See Kim Khan's article on MSN.com at:{ http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/SavingandDebt/P70581.asp}

Popular Christian financial counselor and speaker Dave Ramsey ("Financial Peace," "The Total Money Makeover") is a strong advocate of people cutting up their credit cards and using "cash only" for purchases. Ramsey also advocates having six-months of salary socked away in a "rainy day" fund. Given the latest consumer debt statistics it would seem that the majority of Americans can't even sock away a month's salary. Someone has said, "If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep could be your downfall."

Financial ministry leader Dick Towner {http://www.goodsenseministry.com/} says Christ-followers should be generous with whatever we have and that we should save a first part of whatever receive financially. He provides a useful rule of thumb regarding debt: "I'll never incure debt on something that will decrease in value, or that I would use up as I'm still paying for it."

Christ-followers should take the lead on fiscal responsibility. From the moment of creation in Genesis, God entrusted us to be good stewards of the resources He created. Sadly, most Christ-followers are as addicted to having things and stuff as the rest of our culture. We've got to do a better job of modeling financial responsibility. The future of the U.S. economy hangs in the balance, not to mention the future of the church as fewer and fewer give financially to their church but continue to rack up debt that often exceeds their level of income. We cannot allow future generations to think that amassing personal debt at the expense of cheating God out of a portion of the total He has given each of us is acceptable and pleasing to God.

What a challenge the Apostle Paul makes in Romans 13: "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law." More love, less debt, sounds like a plan that could change a culture and reach many for Christ!

A Woman of Deep Faith Gives Back to God

Oral Lee Brown is a CNN Hero who should inspire and challenge all of us. Especially those who have had the privilege of receiving a college education. Born into the absolute poverty of rural Mississippi, she wanted to give something back to God. Her faith inspired her to give "something back to God" for all He had done for her.

After moving to the west coast while raising three children, she attended night classes and earned her degree from the University of San Francisco University. She eventually bought her own real estate firm. In 1987 she made a profound commitment while earning only $45,000 per year. She committed to put $10,000 a year aside and started a foundation with the goal of providing a college education for the entire first grade class at Oakland's Brookfield Elementary School. She saved $10,000 per year for 12 years!

Blanche Evans recently wrote about Oral Lee Brown in this month's Realty Times news publication:

Seventeen years ago, Brown found a hungry little girl who was skipping school. Her heart was touched, and she realized it doesn't have to be that way. The key to preventing and rising above poverty, drug dealing, and other societal
blights is in education, so Brown went to Brookfield Elementary, a local
elementary school in a troubled area of East Oakland. Stunned and delighted
school officials saw her make the first-graders there a promise - "Stay in school, and I will see you through college."

Brown was born in poverty and saw herself through college. To help others, she established the Oral Lee Brown Foundation which helps at-risk students stay motivated to stay in school. Today, the foundation manages about $375,000 annually in contributions. She pays for their college tuition through annual fundraising banquets, held each August, and through donations. Last year, the first wave of those first-graders graduated from colleges across the United States, and Brown was there in person or in spirit for each ceremony. Of the 23 students in that original class, 19 went on to college, and most are still enrolled. Brown hopes that number grows each year... This May, four more of "her" students graduated.

To see and hear more about this amazing woman go to: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/specials/2007/05/14/natpkg.heroes.oral.lee.brown.cnn

What an inspiration to those of us who have been given much!

The Killing, uh Easy Chair

In his new book, When the Game Is Over It All Goes Back in the Box (Zondervan, 2007), John Ortberg writes about what it takes to really win in the game of life. Ortberg believes that how we live determines what happens when the game is over. He encourages readers to arrange their lives around eternal objectives instead of earthly possessions that are here today and gone tomorrow.

He encourages us to get in the game, but not the one played by most of America. He believes one particular piece of household furniture prevents more of us from engaging life with hands-on action than any other---the recliner or "EZ chair". Throw in a television remote and you've got a prescription for a life of disengagement. Ortberg warns about the dangers of life in the EZ chair:

What's so dangerous about this chair is not the things you do while you're in it. It's the things you don't do, the relationships you never deepen, the people in need you never serve---never even see. It's the great prayers you never pray, noble thoughts you never think, adventures you never take. It the races you never run and the battles you never fight, the laughs you don't laugh and the tears you don't weep. You were made for something more than life in the chair. It may be the most dangerous object in your house. (p. 138)

Ortberg is right. I'm guilty too. We unplug from life in the EZ chair. Sometimes we need to do that, but when the EZ chair becomes the dominant piece of furniture in our life (our focus) it can lead to apathy, laziness and a general disinterest in the meaningful things of life. Who needs to worry about terrorism claiming our country when most of us are killing the ingenuity, passion and forces of creativity all through our inactivity in a single chair?

"EZ Chair Terrorism," is a bigger threat to our spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health than Osama. It's hard to engage the culture and pursue Jesus' call to be life-changers from a reclined position. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10b)

Get out of the chair!

According to a recently released study by the Associated Press and MTV, what makes America's youth happy may surprise you. The extensive study (1,200+ people, ages 13-24, 100+ questions) found that contrary to demographic stereotypes and urban legend, sex, drugs, and rock n' roll weren't the top sources of happiness! The study results are surprising and
hopeful.

Spending time with family was the top answer as the source for happiness among the nation's youth! Almost 75% say that their relationship with parents makes them happy! Not surprising, listening to music was a popular source of happiness, but only 13% said chatting online mad them "very happy". 54% said school grades make them "very to somewhat happy." Parents need to seize this opportunity and increase their time spent with children. They really do want to spend time with us.

There's good news for churches in the study. According to the AP: "Close to half say religion and spirituality are very important. And more than half say they believe there is a higher power that has an influence over things that make them happy. Beyond religion, simply belonging to an organized religious group makes people happier." While much of this "spirituality" may not be biblically rooted, the openness to spiritual matters means they are willing to engage in conversation and interested in community. If we're willing to listen, exercise patience and build intentional relationships with emerging generations, we will most likely find a receptivity that will be greater than if the church simply views students as a doorway to increase evangelism statistics.

The study also uncovered some concerns. Youth aren't satisfied with the way things are in the world. Fifty-eight percent report they are "somewhat to very unhappy" with current world conditions. Also, black and Hispanic respondents tended to be less happy than whites along economic lines. And many, particularly middle class youth say they feel stressed, females more than males. We still have a long way to go in the areas of race, economic and gender equality while trying to provide a stable world. What are we handing off to succeeding generations? It's a ball many of them don't want to carry and something we need to address now instead of passing the buck.

The study leaves me hopeful, but guarded. America's youth need to know that we really do care about their worldview and we are willing to make the necessary changes to right past wrongs or injustices so the world is a better place. They need to know we value and respect what they have to say about the world and other issues. Respect is one of the doorways to responsibility. It's time we listened more so we can learn more and accept the responsibility we have in the world we are leaving succeeding generations. May God give us wisdom and courage!

Lessons Learned 200+ Miles at Sea

1. Having zero cell phone capability is probably the most therapeutic thing you can do. I plan to seriously fast from mine once a week from now on. Ran into a guy on the cruise who paid his cell phone provider in Philadelphia to get international-unlimited coverage on his cell phone while on the ship. Overheard him talking work stuff and never saw him without that thing attached to his ear. Kind of defeats the purpose of "getting away" doesn't it?

2. While I had email capability, I refused to pay the ridiculous incremental Internet access rates charged aboard ship. Plus, I made the choice NOT to carry my laptop on board so if I was tempted I'd have to physically go to the appropriate deck and use one of their computers. I hated the 120 messages of pure junk I had to go through upon my return to land, but it was so nice to be unplugged. Makes me continue to worry and be embarrassed at how co-dependent most Americans are on technology. Me included.

3. Everyone ought to do something they've never done before at least once. Like mountain climbing, or kayaking. We had never taken a cruise. Our son's college graduation in Florida coincided with our cruise, so it was perfect timing and a rare chance for the four of us to be alone. Yes, we will do it again.

4. I eat too much. Americans eat too much. The food we waste is outrageous. Yes, the meals were scrumptous, but the amount of food that went to waste is mind-blowing.

5. Considerable time alone with family without all the distractions and daily noise in life is absolutely priceless. Thank you God for that gift.

6. If I have to choose between Freeport and Nassau, it's a no-brainer. Nothing personal to the folks in Freeport, but I'll be near the Straw Market and Senor' Frogs, or Hard Rock in Nassau. And while the ship coffee was okay, three days without Starbucks made the one in Nassau the perfect first stop off the ship!

7. If Christ-followers served non-Christians the way cruise line crews serve passengers our churches would be filled. Heck, if Christ-followers would just serve each other with the amount of respect, attention to detail and thoughtfulness of the crew it would cause a revolution.

8. The onboard library was great, but it doesn't come close to grabbing a great book and enjoying the sunshine and the open sea from a deck chair.

9. We had calm seas, but how in the world did Noah do it for 40 days without Dramamine or Bonine?

10. Bottled water is the way to go, but it sure loads down your suitcase, ha!

Hail the Graduating Osprey!

On Friday, August 10, 2007, William Casey Carter will receive his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. Go Ospreys! To say we're proud of our son's accomplishment would be an understatement. We can't wait to watch him to take that walk and accept his hard earned diploma.

Engineering is tough! My Bachelor's degree is in communications but trust me, Casey's college studies have been more like my graduate studies. Like his maternal grandfather before him, Casey accepted and rose to the challenge of his chosen discipline with passion, commitment and a hard work ethic. Casey has worked his entire four years of college. Unlike many college students today, he has not had a "blank check" or an unlimited "Visa" card provided by Mom and Dad. He worked and kept a full load of classes just like we did in college and graduate school. Even if we had been able to pay for all of his college and living expenses we would've never done it. Learning to be fiscally responsible while in college (if not before) is great preparation for life in the real world. Too many kids graduate today from college and remain financially and emotionally dependent upon their parents producing a generation who is irresponsible, unrealistic, co-dependent, ungrateful and unable to make it on their own. Aside from his faith development, part of our role as parents has been to help Casey become a healthy, responsible and productive citizen. Casey will always have our support, but deep down inside he knows that he is able to stand on his own by the grace of God. Before he was born, God had His design on Casey's DNA. He has been fashioned and formed through the love of God.

To say we are proud of our children doesn't begin to cover it. No, we have never said our children are perfect. Far from it. We weren't those kind of parents and we still aren't. We know our children's warts, shortcomings and failings just as we know our own. We have always believed that both of our children (Casey and Sarah) have been gifted, called and prepared by God for whatever He has in store for them.

It's been a very difficult final semester for Casey. There have been some valley's and desert wanderings, but he has emerged stronger and wiser. He has learned valuable life lessons while at UNF. We have watched him grow in so many ways. We are so very pleased with Casey and the person he's become. We can't wait to see what God has in store for his future. We love you Chubs, always have and always will! Yes, you and Sarah are special to us because you are gifts from God. Love, Mom and Dad (Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 139)

P.S. The graduation gift and family vacation is going to be absolutely awesome!

In Our Hearts, Thoughts and Prayers

Minneapolis you are in our prayers!