Back to Basics

I just got off the phone with my aunt. She and my husband used to work together. That was about two years ago. Their company was the first one in our area to close its doors when this present economic crisis started. She found another job and felt secure. She was making decent money and things were finally getting back to normal. Six months ago the new company she was working for closed its doors! She was unemployed again. Now I believe she has every reason to be depressed and angry. She has only had one interview in six months, then found out that the best they can offer is part-time hours. She had to turn it down because there's no way they can make it on that salary. I would be so discouraged.

But, do you know what she said to me? She said that maybe this is God's way of getting us back to the basics. Instead of going out two or three times a week, they only go out on Friday nights. And, most of the time, one of the three couples cooks and they have game or movie night at their home. She said they are spending more time with their kids, doing things like playing games or just having good conversation. She said, "I know things (meaning the economy and job situations) will get better eventually. But for now we are making a bad situation better. We are making good use of all this time we have on our hands."

What an attitude! I was reminded of a time in history when spending time with friends meant going to their home or they came to yours. You played games, talked and just enjoyed each other's company. Neighbors got together and had backyard cookouts on weekends. People actually sat on their front porches and invited others to come "sit a spell". And people went to church on Sunday and then went to Grandma's or Mom's home for Sunday supper. It was like our evening meals when we were kids only instead of talking about your day, you talked about your week. People kept in touch with each other. It truly was a kinder, gentler time.

With the things the way they are we can no longer afford to do all the things we're used to. Parents can't put their kids in three or four different activities. They might be able to afford one. Now we have all this extra time on our hands. We are forced to slow down and spend time with each other. We are forced to cook at home and gather at the dining table once again. We are forced to find free things that we can do together. We drag out the movies, dust off the games, and actually make popcorn! I think there might be a lot of truth to what my aunt said. Maybe God is trying to get us back to the basics. He's trying to bring us home. We've been gone too long.