Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

The parable of Jesus (of the talents) illustrates how important it is to use our talents wisely.  Talents in biblical times referred to a sum of money.  I will let the scriptures speak for themselves.

Matthew 25:14-46

14   For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15   And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16   Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17   And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18   But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
19   After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20   And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21   His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22   He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23   His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24   Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25   And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26   His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27   Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28   Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29   For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30   And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Tags: abundance, Bible, God, Jesus, joy of thy Lord, kingdom of heaven, money, parable of the talents, responsibility, scriptures, servant, the Lord, time, well done thou good and faithful servant, wisdom, your talents
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Less, again, is always more.  It is far easier to be satisfied with what you’ve got than to want more.  There is no end to more.  Riches are all relative.  It is far easier to cut your expenses controlling your desires of more material wealth than increasing your money coming in or simply not living within your means (which usually means using credit).  I do not know how many marriages were destroyed by poor money management.  Creating a reasonable budget and living within your means always creates peace.  Juggling bills and creditors is always stressful.  Putting money aside for emergencies (and they always come) is prudent.  God supplies everything but we are entrusted with using our money (and resources) prudently.  That is under our control.

Tags: balance, be satisfied with what you've got, budget, control your desires, cut your expenses, God, God supplies everything, less is more, living within your means, marriage, material wealth, money, money management, no end to more, our resources, peace, putting money aside, riches are relative, want more
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I do not have to know everything.  Of course, no one can.  There are few Renaissance people any more.  Yet it is so easy to feel shame if you can not do simple things and envy the knowledge others possess.  It is so hard to know what you know and know what you do not.  This knowledge is the beginning of wisdom.  Ignorance is bliss.  You can relax in the fact this world is interdependent.  We all need one another.

Money can provide the illusion this is not so.  It is truly an illusion.  All you have to do is think of all the services provided for you.  Someone keeps the roads paved.  Someone is raising the crops that provide the food you buy in supermarkets.  The Army and the police assure your safety.  There are scientists, engineers working on solutions to improve your life further.  There are hospitals, doctors, teachers, the list is endless of people out there providing for you and your children.  Are you beginning to get the point?  We are dependent on one another.

In fact the bad economic state we are in even more so forces us to rely on each other.  That is really a good thing.  One does not have to do it alone and can relax.  Still you have to do your part.  Nevertheless, we are interdependent with one another.  We can rely on each other.  That is really the way the world is designed.  In the words of John Donne, ‘No man is an island.’  If we can hold on to that idea, the world becomes a much smaller place and we can relax further.  No one has to do it alone.  We are in this world together.  It is okay to ask for help when you need it and certainly it is okay to reach out to the needs of people around you.  All that can be very comforting.

Tags: balance, comforting, do not have to do it alone, do your part, doctors, economic state, God, hospitals, interdependence, John Donne, knowledge, learning, money, no man is an island, okay to ask for help, raising crops, reach out to others, relationships, rely on each other, Renaissance people, roads paved, services provided, teachers, we all need one another, we can relax, wisdom, world is interdependent
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Our sex life is private although sometimes a couple may discuss it however obliquely, but one thing that will never be done is for one person to allow another to view their checkbook.  Why are our finances more sacred than our sex lives?  It is simple.  Our check registers reveal exactly how we are spending our money.  It reveals exactly where our values lie.  We don’t necessarily want to reveal to others how we are spending our money.  Every expenditure indicates what is really important to us.  That is why we might make passing references to our sex lives but never let another see our checkbooks.  As I said, our checkbooks are more sacred than our sex lives.

Tags: finances, how we are spending our money, money, our checkbooks, sex life, what is really important to us, where our values lie
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