Hope in times of trouble

Within the past three weeks my son’s car died, the washing machine died, my dryer would not dry the clothes, my internet has gone out twice and the air conditioners quit cooling. The repairman who came for the washer and dryer told me that the timer on the washer was out and that he would have to order another one and that the dryer wasn’t broken. The dryer vent, which goes into the wall of the condominium complex and goes upward to the roof, needed to be cleaned. I called a chimney sweep to clean the dryer vent out. $159.00 later the dryer worked.

When the air conditioner repairman came, he suggested that I might need to buy a new unit. I told him that I would just be hot. Then, he told me that he might be able to just replace the coils (I think that’s what he called them) for about $950.00. I told him to just add coolant in the unit and if it didn’t stay in, I would just be hot that I could not afford to replace the coils.

He followed my directions and put the coolant in the unit. For three days, I have been cool. I don’t know how long it will last, but I’m thankful for everyday that I come home from work and it is cool.

I’ve been waiting for the past two weeks for the timer for the washing machine. When I spoke with the repairman today he told me that the machine was so old that it was hard to find the part. I guess I’ll be buying another washing machine sometime within the next few weeks if the repairman cannot find the part.

I refuse to use credit cards and I’m committed to using cash. Sometimes it is painful to face reality and handle problems that need to be handled. I will not take the easy way out and use credit to solve the problem. I know in my heart that this difficult time will pass and that my future will be better if I sacrifice now. This is hope. It keeps me going.

The United States in now in the same position. Everything is breaking down. There are dangerous bridges, deteriorating dams, aging power grids among a few of the problems. There are also reoccurring disasters requiring large infusions of cash. Flooding has devastated large sections of the U.S. within the past few years. Even here in Atlanta, areas that haven’t flooded before have flooded this year. I feel pain for the people in Tennessee who are now digging out from the disastrous flooding.

If the government cuts spending, it is always someone else’s program that we want to cut. Not the programs that benefit us. There is also a huge amount of fraud committed within government programs. We need to address the issues of fraud and require that government agencies do a better job of money stewardship.

Unfortunately, it is also time for the citizens of the U.S. to face the bleak reality that we cannot live on credit cards any longer. We will have to either pay higher taxes or accept fewer services from the government. We might need to fix some things instead of replacing them. It will be painful, but it is necessary that we admit the truth of our runaway spending or we shall surely face bankruptcy. Even in difficult times, the American people, knowing up front that sacrifice is required, will bear the burden because they know that ultimately things will be better. Hope remains. Hope is within US.