Why so glum, chum? Not so here...

We drove through our town tonight, and talked about something my DH had heard some years ago on tv. They had said that if a town is building new banks, etc. that it's a good sign that the town is doing very well.

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Looking through town, we noticed one very large and very fancy bank going up. I couldn't help but wonder why they needed all that space (2 stories)- like, do they reallllly have that much money that they need some of that for storage?!?!

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We drove on down to find several new stores coming up in the area where Belks and JCPenney are. Who knows what they will be! And, as I mentioned in another post, we are getting a new grocery store (yippee).

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On yet another street, we saw what looked to be another bank just going up, but perhaps it's something medical. It was hard to tell just yet.

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But all over this little town, buildings are popping up everywhere. Not to mention, the main Walmart is always soooooo crowded that we wait until late to go so our kids don't get ran over.

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I also noticed that all of the 'nice' restaurants had full parking lots. The brand new Olive Garden, the old O'Charley's, Puelos Grill, etc. all had full parking lots. I couldn't help but to wonder where the 'financial crisis' was really at.

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Now, I do know that we all go through ups and downs. So does our economy. Several weeks ago when they were saying that the 'stocks were at the lowest in blah blah years' they also said that 'one year ago was the record high'. Hmmm..... hmmmm... go figure that one out!

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*Now again, I know everyone goes through ups and downs. Families go through job changes, yes I do admit the gas prices are still silly, and I know that groceries have been affected by that BUT the doom and gloom that is being spilled on us by the media--- well, I just somehow must be in 'one of those cities' or I'm just blind. But I really did see alot of construction in our town tonight and I can't understand how and why all of that is going on IF we are INDEED in dire straits.

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Now again...hear me out... I know of 2 families where the husband has changed jobs and taken a pay cut and adjustments are being felt. But..... I also know families that went through that 10 years ago, and 15 years ago, and so on. And...by the way...those job changes had NOTHING to do with 'the economy'- they were both a result of choices that had more to do with their family.

Let me sum it up with a Bible verse;

Eccl 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

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God's in control of it all! And there's NOTHING NEW! It's all happened before...up...down...up...down...level...down...up..........
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Perspective....a lot of this is simply perspective!

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And yes, some of it- facts! As stated above, there are FACTS in my town that there's still some major $$$$$ here. Yet, the fact is; I still paid more for gas tonight than what I think an American should have to.
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But, let us take the advice of one famous American who said, "trust but verify".
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Let's NOT take the media's word for it! Let us think for ourselves!

Ask yourself some real questions:
Am I REALLY making less this year than I did last year? and if so, why?
Am I making less than I did 8 years ago, if so, why?
Have you had a raise in pay in the last year? the last 8? if not, why?
Did you take a higher paying job?
Did you take a lower paying job?
Look at your bank account and around your house, how much $$$$ have you spent on things other than food and toiletries? Where did you get that money?
Look at your waistline. Have you had to miss any meals?
Look around your neighborhood. How many cars have been bought in the last year or two?
Were they new? Any fences put up? Any flower beds planted? Any new trees or shrubs bought?
Where did the money come from?
Look around your town. Any new businesses being built? Any banks?
Check your mailbox. Still getting lots of credit card offers? More than before? Who's got that money to loan to you?
How about pets? Any new ones? Any extra expenses on them?
How about yourself? Any new clothes? Why? Did alllll of your old ones wear out or did you just want that pretty blouse?
Kids talk you into any new toys? Isn't their toy box over-flowing?

All of these could apply to my home too!

And as much as I love being frugal...I love honesty more!

I refuse to let someone tell me that I'm "worse off" than I really am!

Proverbs 3:5-6