First World Problems

The concept of being a First World Nation and what we view as our problems and challenges came up at the dinner table last week.

I was vaguely familiar with term, and after doing some research leaned that it actually harkens back to the Cold War Era and referred to the countries allied with the United States during that time. The term now refers to nations that possess highly developed societies, are capitalistic in nature, industrialized, influential, and prosperous. (For more information on which countries are included and various related statistics check here.)

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We all know that Third World Nations generally deal with problems of poverty, low standard of living, governmental and/or religious oppression, lack of educational and employment opportunities, and many other issues. Their problems are often as critical as insufficient water and food and fear for their lives since many of their nations suffer from wars and political oppression.

But what are problems First World Nations encounter and how do they differ from Third World problems?

• Suffering from obesity rather than starvation
• Looking in a closet packed with clothing and whining about nothing to wear as opposed to owning only the clothes covering your body
• Complaining about the long line at the DMV instead of never even imagining owning a car
• Huffing and puffing over a slow wi-fi connection while our Third World brothers and sisters have their internet blocked by the government, or they can't afford a computer, or they are illiterate.

Do you see the disconnect? We "suffer" from abundance while they suffer from want. If you're anything like me, you're going to start thinking twice before complaining about your Starbucks order being wrong or the grocery store being out of your favorite brand of cereal.

We need a transition in our thinking. We need a revival of gratitude, appreciation and thankfulness - and giving. We need to give more, demand less, and keep our perspective straight.

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. - Phil 2:4,5 (KJV)

Is It Really Only the Beginning of January?

It seems like 2013 has been here for a very, very, long time.

As years go, it really sucks so far.

I can't think of anytime when so many things have gone wrong and so many problems have cropped up in such a tiny amount of time. It's enough to make a woman want to crawl under the bed and stay there until 2014.

But, Transitional Women do not hide under the bed curled up into an itsy-bitsy ball. Besides, there isn't enough room under there.

What Transitional Women do is to pray more and pray harder. They do not let discouragement, dismay and disaster define them or defeat them. They trust in the Lord their God to hold them up and put some steel into their spines.

And today is a better day, so far nothing has gone wrong and a couple of things went great. Maybe there's hope for 2013 after all.


Image: stockimages/freedigitalphotos.net

Uncovering Mold

This is our bathroom.  Notice the lack of bathtub and wall?  Insidious mold was growing behind the shower surround, you know that thing that goes around your bathtub?  

We executed a temporary repair job a few years ago for the same problem, but had obviously waited too long before implementing a permanent solution because the mold came back with a vengeance.  So here we go again, the bathroom is torn up and getting remodeled.


 



It seems like we treat  our problems like this.  If everything looks fine on the surface, we just ignore the niggling hints that there is something wrong underneath and keep singing in the shower.

Like I said, we knew the previous repair was only temporary, but we left it alone too long, the problem got bigger and bigger and we arrived at the point where we had to strip the wall back to the cinder blocks.

Ignoring a problem doesn't make it go away and implementing a temporary repair is just that, temporary.  Sometimes you have to do the hard work of digging below the surface to get to the root of a problem.

• Are your finances a mess?  You might need to examine your expenditures to uncover where all the money is going.  
• Do you have a troubled relationship?  Don't keep shifting the blame on the other person, examine your own heart, motives and actions. 
• Are you gaining weight, or having trouble eating healthfully?  Don't deceive yourself, assess what you're eating, how much you're eating and when you're eating.  You'll likely find some answers.

In order to transition to a life of wholeness, health and peace, we need to examine honestly the unhealthy areas in our lives and deal with them by initiating changes.  Even when they're messy.  Even when they're inconvenient.  Even when they're hard.  Even when it hurts.


And while it's great to research and talk to other people about the best way to handle the problem, remember in the end that their solution is probably not going to be your solution.  Everyone has diverse circumstances. 

As a Christian, my solution begins by going to God and asking for help because effecting radical change is difficult and sometimes impossible on my own.  And quite likely the way He leads me is going to be different than the way He leads someone else.  However it happens, the repair work may still be hard, and others might judge and criticize my methods and choices, but at least I know I'm doing it the way He wants me to.

So, where is your mold?  Are you willing to strip your life down to the cinder blocks to find the truth and make changes?

Roar

We roar with rage.  We roar with pain.  We roar with frustration.  We roar when experiencing so many painful and, sometimes, sinful emotions.  There seems to be no other way to express ourselves when the unfairness of life descends on us and presses us down.


The word of God tells us that sometimes God speaks through a storm.  And sometimes He speaks with a still, small voice.  At times, a roar is the appropriate response, but at other times a quiet response, a whisper, a silent acceptance is what is needed.

Whatever happens, and whatever feelings we experience we are not left alone.  We have someone who hears our roars, the loud roars and the silent roars of our hearts.

And so in the midst of writing, the blue screen of death appeared and my son asked, "Did that make you want to roar?"

Here's how it works:

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – don’t edit; don’t second-guess.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Must: leave a comment for the person who linked up before you – encouraging them in their writing!

Image sources: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=172

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