Thankfully, I am toasty warm with lots to keep me busy.
Since I've walked away from most social media, allowing myself a few minutes here and there on a few of them to keep myself aware of what is going on in the world, I am finding that I am getting so much completed. It's amazing and a bit humbling to realize how much time of my life was being wasted. I've even started doing my to do list again, I'd stopped for far too long. It felt like a constant reminder of all I wasn't finishing. I didn't stop to think about the reason that I wasn't able to finish things, I just assumed I had set too high of goals.
I definitely admit that the revitalization of Twitter is holding me a bit captive, so I definitely have to monitor my time on there. It's become a guilty pleasure for me, it's also a great way to get fairly uncensored news. Not perfect by a long shot, but a heck of a lot more informative than the non-stop brainwashing of local and national media.
I'm starting to be made increasingly aware of the changes to our economy. And personally, I'm not finding anything to be incredible where it is all concerned. While printing off our personal property taxes so Hubs could register his truck I noticed this years were already posted. Ironically, our truck is another year older, more miles on it, working further into it's life expectancy - yet because of the created vehicle shortage and some bureaucrat it's value has gone up significantly. Therefore, the taxes have soared as well.
I won't pay them on my car this year, as I just bought it this year. I can hardly wait to see the damage next year. I own that vehicle completely, I am not really sure why I should have to pay the state an additional fee yearly to own it. It's mine. I already pay for the required insurance and yearly registration and all of the fee's connected with that debacle.
At some point folks need to seriously look at all of the taxes they pay for everything. And it isn't just taxes. Our vehicle insurance has gone up $50 per month, while a few dollars here and there doesn't seem like much, those few dollars here and there are adding up really fast.
Hubs and I have a nice income, we are not rich, not by an incredible long shot. But we have what used to be a very comfortable income. Each month those dollars seem to not be stretching nearly as far as the month before. And almost daily there is another letter or email that one of the utilities or required expenses has increased yet again.
And each trip for groceries is a painful reminder that our government is taking us the absolute wrong direction. If you truly believe that inflation is only in the area of 8 or 9%, you are evidently living somewhere other than this country.
I am very thankful to the Lord that I have skills that enable us to stretch things a bit further, I am praying harder than ever for those that do not. Somewhere along the way we haven't passed knowledge on to our children and grandchildren. We haven't shared the things that are important. There are so many families, couples and individuals that are simply struggling to live at this point.
I'm looking at paring back on the spending this Christmas, how many of them are simply praying to be able to have Christmas? Forget about Christmas, how many of them have warm clothing, jackets, food? I question the fact that we can find billions to send to other countries (and please do not get me started on that) yet we can't find billions to take care of our own people.
There is much evil afoot right now. There is suffering, needlessly. It breaks my heart on a level I can't put into words. I am not sure how to help. It's easy to say get another job, that seems to be the default, it has to be their own fault they are suffering, kind of how we've been taught to think. Yet what is that going to solve? Sure they will have a few more dollars in their pockets, but after the increasing prices (on literally everything), the amount of taxes paid out of every dollar, they will simply loose more of their life to a system that is horribly broken and corrupt.
And at what cost? More expenses related to a second or third job? Gas to get to and from, will dinners get made at home or will convenience food be purchased (I mean seriously that stuff is neither healthy of cheap on many levels), who's watching the kids if there are any? So many factors, none of which bode well for the average person.
I know, I know. Early morning ramblings on the first cup of coffee are never good. I've already spent a bit of time in prayer, I will be praying more while I stitch away at a quilt today (my version of worry beads or prayer beads I guess). I am still pondering how to be a part of the solution, I am 100% open to suggestions and dialog. I don't want to imagine how much harder life has to get for everyone before we have our ah-ha moment. Before we reach the point they have reached across the world. Nor do I want to experience protests like they are having in Brazil, the Netherlands, France, Australia etc. Millions marching in the streets doesn't seem very safe at all.
Yet... as Thomas Jefferson is quoted as saying "I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery".
Well, today is a busy one, I have a bit of canning to do and then it is back to work on the quilts I am working on, after I finish cleaning up the house for the day. Immediately... I need more coffee and puppies need breakfast.
Please have a wonderful day. Prepare for things to get worse before they get better and while you are at it find a way to help someone everyday. You never know that small simple act of kindness might be all that is holding them together right now.
Love and prayers...
Good one! 381+
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