I know I'm going to get at least 2 sides of the story if a few people reply. So I don't have doubts some people wouldn't start arguing somewhere down the road.
Still, this is a very important subject. I feel what I believe about this is right, but I'd like to discuss it.
First basic things to understand about me, I am a married man with one baby together. We live in a place with very cheap rent and yet a great house in good shape. I have a job that I work 12 hours a day for half the month. I make a few thousand a month. My bills add to around $550 including rent, power and car insurance. So with if I even made 2000 a month, after bills, I'd have around 1,450 for food, gas money (gas here is 1.92 today) and simple other things like shampoo, tooth paste and things that are not expensive.
My bank tells me I save hundreds a month average more than I spend.
Last night, I worked 12 hours, and that is on my feet on concrete floor- and as I got home, I couldn't eat from the pain in my teeth. I needed to see the dentist, but all of them are closed this weekend, we had appointments on my days of this week and the pain wasn't that bad until now. It hurt me so bad last night trying to lay down and sleep, that I didn't get a single minute of sleep. I still have 2 days of work ahead of me of those 12 hours, and I am worried I wont get sleep tonight either. I wonder if I will pass out at work, but I am sleep deprived already. Work is a bit dead, not much to do but you still cant sit down and relax. I questioned for some encouragement if I should ask my boss for a day off to see a dentist and get some sleep so in case I cant fall asleep soon enough tonight, I wont be so weak next day for work. But my family told me I need to go to work, forget the pain right now because I need the money. I look at my money, and we have everything we need. Not everything we want, but I am saying we won't roll over and die or go bankrupt anytime soon unless something literally tragic happened like a tornado came through.
It bothered me with their response. Other people keep saying my wife doesn't need to find a job, not even part time to be with the baby, but they tell me I need to work 60-70 hours a week and get all the overtime I can to provide. Though we have a good bit of money, we don't have EBT stamps, disability, help from anyone anymore or even any kind of health insurance. So a bit more money could help when medical expenses like this do come up.
Here is basically my point. I see their life and I see mine. The wife stays home with kids all night and all day when they aren't at school. But the husband and father is always gone to work 60-70 hours a week. his entire life repeats like this; oh, work! oh dinner time! oh sleep time! oh day off to shop, do laundry, go to doctors oh lunch time, nap time, dinner time, oh bed time! oh work time! (repeat) That is his life until a vacation comes around to drive for hours across the states to go to worldly things then come back in less than a week.
He has no time personally with his kids except to tell them what to do, to take them for business things but no loving time playing games, studying the word of God, explaining things they need to know unless it involves worldly knowledge like driving a car, handling money and such.
I see all that, and I realize they think I should live like them. But all I see is a family always working, kids just do school work, eat, spend time alone with personal hobbies but have no time to go find friends, then go to sleep and repeat all their life, then they grow up and go into college instead of school, then they start working those 60-70 hours a week as well.
I wouldn't want a life like that. All I see is someone living for worldly treasures, working to survive and survive to work to someday die and everything they have worked for is left here on the earth for someone else. Then I see that I am never there personally with my kids. Sure, for some short break times to eat lunch or dinner, but that is it if I am not telling them to clean up and go to the store or the doctors with me.
Their family is very happy, but that is because they are very proud of their hard work leading to success- but I see it as worldly success, a success for temporary things that will not come with me when I die and it is not work that builds up treasures in Heaven.
This people have so much money, and when they come across family and others like the homeless in need for anything, they ignore them and at the most they will say "I'll pray for you." But they never want to take a step near the homeless. They believe they are a bunch of lowlife's that don't want to work and got homeless because they turned to alcohol and drugs. But really, many homeless people aren't those, and those who are turned to it after becoming homeless. Many homeless people have different reasons and stories and they would get on their feet but it isn't easy without a boost of help.
So they never help anyone because they feel other people can help themselves if they tried hard enough and worked overtime, and they need to save up all the money the possibly can in case they need it or want to use it for something they dream of having. They say their house is worth $300,000, and when their mother's husband died, they took her in, but their mother had to sell their house, then pay companies to build a house onto this families house. They say they wanted that just for their mother, but I think they just wanted to make their house worth thousands more adding onto it, so when their mother dies, they will have the money for themselves to get a more fancy house.
the kids are fine they have, physically, but emotionally I hear and see their emptiness, but as it has gone on their entire life, they are used to it. Their family rarely would ever argue or fight, but that is simply because they are all always working. Even for Christmas last year, I was on my way on my motorcycle, it was all I had to drive then, it was very cold, and a bit rainy, and my tire popped then the motorcycle wouldn't start in middle of the road from the battery being cold and such. Well, I was on my way to their Christmas party 2 hours before it would start, and it was only a 15 minute drive away. I called and told them I am having my motorcycle towed so can someone get me for the party. 40 people attend that party there every single year and have for decades. Every single one of them said they couldn't do it, my uncles, aunts, cousins, siblings, etc. Some said they don't have the gas money, I told them I would pay it. They said they'd need like 20 dollars because of this and that, I told them I would give them 50, they said no, no. I offered 100 and they thought I was stupid. Some said sorry, we have to make green beans. I said it's hours before the party, surely you can get me after they cook. They said no, no, the party will start to begin, sorry. And the excuses go on. They all claim to be Christians. Yet, they can't even get their own family from being out in the winter rain who offers them a lot of money to drive 15 minutes 2 hours before your party? They seem like they want to have the party just for fun, not love and time with family.
When I look at her husbands life, and see all he has become, what he has accomplished, if I could be in his shoes and known how my life would been, I would have taken one of his guns and shot myself in the head, or so I would want to. I'd be ashamed of myself. they argue with worldly perspectives yet their father was a preacher and pastor, they had loving parents, they had an extremely easy going life for them compared to the majority of the world. So I know they don't understand suffering. The worst suffering they could of ever had was some small physical injury or an object getting damaged. They have never lived paycheck to paycheck, never had enemies, never been abused, never arrested, never attacked, no big health issues, no homelessness, nothing except maybe a broken wrist or the cold. So I guess this is why they may not understand why we need to care about other people so much.
I live for God- no myself, not my kids, not my wife, not my friends- God and God alone, but doing so, I care about others that I do live to help them but that is not the reason I am alive today. I believe I need to be there for my kids the same amount of time that I work if not more, and even time alone with my wife as well, and even time with the Lord. If I live like these people in my family say to, sure my family will be very healthy and we'll be ready for anything that money can buy, but they will be alone, not have guidance of a parent, they wont have memories of hanging out, playing together, sharing our hearts and feelings, studying and worshipping the Lord together and working together to help those in need.
I trust the Lord like Israel had to trust God for manna daily, and if they tried to save any of it then it would be spoiled the next day. I can trust the Lord daily to provide. If I had to spend every penny I make every day on food and rent and things to live, I wouldn't worry what would come tomorrow. But that is me. I've been through experiences knowing I can trust the Lord will provide. Doesn't mean it will always be perfect or comfortable, but he always gets me to a better place.
So am I wrong? Is it so bad to take a day off work to get some rest because I don't have thousands saved in the bank and I am sleep deprived? Should I stop caring to make time for my child and just accepting what we need day by day and rather spend pretty much all my life working overtime, taking them to worldly things, buying whatever we want and focus on being better off physically than spiritually living needs?
Still, this is a very important subject. I feel what I believe about this is right, but I'd like to discuss it.
First basic things to understand about me, I am a married man with one baby together. We live in a place with very cheap rent and yet a great house in good shape. I have a job that I work 12 hours a day for half the month. I make a few thousand a month. My bills add to around $550 including rent, power and car insurance. So with if I even made 2000 a month, after bills, I'd have around 1,450 for food, gas money (gas here is 1.92 today) and simple other things like shampoo, tooth paste and things that are not expensive.
My bank tells me I save hundreds a month average more than I spend.
Last night, I worked 12 hours, and that is on my feet on concrete floor- and as I got home, I couldn't eat from the pain in my teeth. I needed to see the dentist, but all of them are closed this weekend, we had appointments on my days of this week and the pain wasn't that bad until now. It hurt me so bad last night trying to lay down and sleep, that I didn't get a single minute of sleep. I still have 2 days of work ahead of me of those 12 hours, and I am worried I wont get sleep tonight either. I wonder if I will pass out at work, but I am sleep deprived already. Work is a bit dead, not much to do but you still cant sit down and relax. I questioned for some encouragement if I should ask my boss for a day off to see a dentist and get some sleep so in case I cant fall asleep soon enough tonight, I wont be so weak next day for work. But my family told me I need to go to work, forget the pain right now because I need the money. I look at my money, and we have everything we need. Not everything we want, but I am saying we won't roll over and die or go bankrupt anytime soon unless something literally tragic happened like a tornado came through.
It bothered me with their response. Other people keep saying my wife doesn't need to find a job, not even part time to be with the baby, but they tell me I need to work 60-70 hours a week and get all the overtime I can to provide. Though we have a good bit of money, we don't have EBT stamps, disability, help from anyone anymore or even any kind of health insurance. So a bit more money could help when medical expenses like this do come up.
Here is basically my point. I see their life and I see mine. The wife stays home with kids all night and all day when they aren't at school. But the husband and father is always gone to work 60-70 hours a week. his entire life repeats like this; oh, work! oh dinner time! oh sleep time! oh day off to shop, do laundry, go to doctors oh lunch time, nap time, dinner time, oh bed time! oh work time! (repeat) That is his life until a vacation comes around to drive for hours across the states to go to worldly things then come back in less than a week.
He has no time personally with his kids except to tell them what to do, to take them for business things but no loving time playing games, studying the word of God, explaining things they need to know unless it involves worldly knowledge like driving a car, handling money and such.
I see all that, and I realize they think I should live like them. But all I see is a family always working, kids just do school work, eat, spend time alone with personal hobbies but have no time to go find friends, then go to sleep and repeat all their life, then they grow up and go into college instead of school, then they start working those 60-70 hours a week as well.
I wouldn't want a life like that. All I see is someone living for worldly treasures, working to survive and survive to work to someday die and everything they have worked for is left here on the earth for someone else. Then I see that I am never there personally with my kids. Sure, for some short break times to eat lunch or dinner, but that is it if I am not telling them to clean up and go to the store or the doctors with me.
Their family is very happy, but that is because they are very proud of their hard work leading to success- but I see it as worldly success, a success for temporary things that will not come with me when I die and it is not work that builds up treasures in Heaven.
This people have so much money, and when they come across family and others like the homeless in need for anything, they ignore them and at the most they will say "I'll pray for you." But they never want to take a step near the homeless. They believe they are a bunch of lowlife's that don't want to work and got homeless because they turned to alcohol and drugs. But really, many homeless people aren't those, and those who are turned to it after becoming homeless. Many homeless people have different reasons and stories and they would get on their feet but it isn't easy without a boost of help.
So they never help anyone because they feel other people can help themselves if they tried hard enough and worked overtime, and they need to save up all the money the possibly can in case they need it or want to use it for something they dream of having. They say their house is worth $300,000, and when their mother's husband died, they took her in, but their mother had to sell their house, then pay companies to build a house onto this families house. They say they wanted that just for their mother, but I think they just wanted to make their house worth thousands more adding onto it, so when their mother dies, they will have the money for themselves to get a more fancy house.
the kids are fine they have, physically, but emotionally I hear and see their emptiness, but as it has gone on their entire life, they are used to it. Their family rarely would ever argue or fight, but that is simply because they are all always working. Even for Christmas last year, I was on my way on my motorcycle, it was all I had to drive then, it was very cold, and a bit rainy, and my tire popped then the motorcycle wouldn't start in middle of the road from the battery being cold and such. Well, I was on my way to their Christmas party 2 hours before it would start, and it was only a 15 minute drive away. I called and told them I am having my motorcycle towed so can someone get me for the party. 40 people attend that party there every single year and have for decades. Every single one of them said they couldn't do it, my uncles, aunts, cousins, siblings, etc. Some said they don't have the gas money, I told them I would pay it. They said they'd need like 20 dollars because of this and that, I told them I would give them 50, they said no, no. I offered 100 and they thought I was stupid. Some said sorry, we have to make green beans. I said it's hours before the party, surely you can get me after they cook. They said no, no, the party will start to begin, sorry. And the excuses go on. They all claim to be Christians. Yet, they can't even get their own family from being out in the winter rain who offers them a lot of money to drive 15 minutes 2 hours before your party? They seem like they want to have the party just for fun, not love and time with family.
When I look at her husbands life, and see all he has become, what he has accomplished, if I could be in his shoes and known how my life would been, I would have taken one of his guns and shot myself in the head, or so I would want to. I'd be ashamed of myself. they argue with worldly perspectives yet their father was a preacher and pastor, they had loving parents, they had an extremely easy going life for them compared to the majority of the world. So I know they don't understand suffering. The worst suffering they could of ever had was some small physical injury or an object getting damaged. They have never lived paycheck to paycheck, never had enemies, never been abused, never arrested, never attacked, no big health issues, no homelessness, nothing except maybe a broken wrist or the cold. So I guess this is why they may not understand why we need to care about other people so much.
I live for God- no myself, not my kids, not my wife, not my friends- God and God alone, but doing so, I care about others that I do live to help them but that is not the reason I am alive today. I believe I need to be there for my kids the same amount of time that I work if not more, and even time alone with my wife as well, and even time with the Lord. If I live like these people in my family say to, sure my family will be very healthy and we'll be ready for anything that money can buy, but they will be alone, not have guidance of a parent, they wont have memories of hanging out, playing together, sharing our hearts and feelings, studying and worshipping the Lord together and working together to help those in need.
I trust the Lord like Israel had to trust God for manna daily, and if they tried to save any of it then it would be spoiled the next day. I can trust the Lord daily to provide. If I had to spend every penny I make every day on food and rent and things to live, I wouldn't worry what would come tomorrow. But that is me. I've been through experiences knowing I can trust the Lord will provide. Doesn't mean it will always be perfect or comfortable, but he always gets me to a better place.
So am I wrong? Is it so bad to take a day off work to get some rest because I don't have thousands saved in the bank and I am sleep deprived? Should I stop caring to make time for my child and just accepting what we need day by day and rather spend pretty much all my life working overtime, taking them to worldly things, buying whatever we want and focus on being better off physically than spiritually living needs?
