We are modern-day slaves. I guess I shouldn’t be speaking for you---but we, the Rutchik clan, are modern-day slaves. Who is our master? What a great question, thanks for asking! We are slaves to the American culture, what Pope John Paul II, and many other Catholics, refer to as the culture of death.
This is my daughter Tessa flashing her "don't boss me" look!
As I have grown into my faith over the past few years, I feel I’ve made tiny baby steps in waging war on this culture. My husband and I vote pro-life, cart our kids to Mass each week and our 17 month old knows she can’t even think about picking up that fork until we’ve prayed together as a family. I truly believe this idea of creating your own moral code and having unlimited options or “freedoms” is oppression in its UN-finest form. But, that is another post. My point is that in our little, mediocre ways, we as a family have waged war on the moral culture we live in…or have we?
It wasn’t until recently that we realized we were rolling over and playing dead in one of the most important battles in this war---the financial fight. I came across the book, “The Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramey and I love it! Due to my six years of private collage, a medical condition and a lot of poor small choices, we are drowning in debt. The belief that living like this is “normal,” or “the American way” is pure brainwashing! Who is their right mind would believe that? I did! I believed it. The culture of death does not just attack our ideals, its attacking our wallets and waging war on the future security of our families. What happens when the well being of my family is left only in the hands of the government—a government that does not have a good track record on protecting human life and dignity? I don’t want to find out! The feeling of entitlement we have as Americans is ridiculous. I’m a good person, I work hard, so I DESERVE ----fill in the blank---. I know I have justified lifestyle choices by telling myself this in the past. The truth is, it is really hard to come to terms with the fact that we deserve nothing. Everything we have has been a gift from God, a gift given only out of love. It’s hard to accept such unconditional love! My family has vowed to make a better attempt at accepting this vow of unconditional love from God. And, in an effort to give our unconditional love to our children, we have made a commitment to their financial security and are now on The Total Money Makeover! It’s really hard. I don’t much care for pancakes and fruit for dinner. However, it’s a darn cheep meal while still be nutritious for our bodies. I’ m sad I have to work and have now put myself back on the job market. But, I have an education to pay off and as of now, the education of two little ones to pay for. So, I will work.
As any mama bear will tell you; no one, and I mean no one, wages war on my family and gets away with it! I am a slave to NO man!
It wasn’t until recently that we realized we were rolling over and playing dead in one of the most important battles in this war---the financial fight. I came across the book, “The Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramey and I love it! Due to my six years of private collage, a medical condition and a lot of poor small choices, we are drowning in debt. The belief that living like this is “normal,” or “the American way” is pure brainwashing! Who is their right mind would believe that? I did! I believed it. The culture of death does not just attack our ideals, its attacking our wallets and waging war on the future security of our families. What happens when the well being of my family is left only in the hands of the government—a government that does not have a good track record on protecting human life and dignity? I don’t want to find out! The feeling of entitlement we have as Americans is ridiculous. I’m a good person, I work hard, so I DESERVE ----fill in the blank---. I know I have justified lifestyle choices by telling myself this in the past. The truth is, it is really hard to come to terms with the fact that we deserve nothing. Everything we have has been a gift from God, a gift given only out of love. It’s hard to accept such unconditional love! My family has vowed to make a better attempt at accepting this vow of unconditional love from God. And, in an effort to give our unconditional love to our children, we have made a commitment to their financial security and are now on The Total Money Makeover! It’s really hard. I don’t much care for pancakes and fruit for dinner. However, it’s a darn cheep meal while still be nutritious for our bodies. I’ m sad I have to work and have now put myself back on the job market. But, I have an education to pay off and as of now, the education of two little ones to pay for. So, I will work.
As any mama bear will tell you; no one, and I mean no one, wages war on my family and gets away with it! I am a slave to NO man!
1 comment:
Holly, this is beautiful! Just earlier today I was ranting in my mind about how it stinks that I have to work when my priority is my family and home. But part of taking care of them means that, right now, I pitch in with work that isn't of the home. It's what I have to do right now, even if it isn't really fair to my kids who have to be shushed sometimes so that I can get work done instead of focus on them right away.
The beautiful thing is, it could be so much worse!! We have so very much to be thankful for; even in this sorry state of a country we live in, we are being cared for in ways we cannot fathom.
I think of what I would be doing if I had to work and not be able to work for the company I do work for and in the comfort of my own home. I would be subbing in a public school district, seeing the materialism and sexuality and do-what-feels-good attitudes that are permeating the world.
And it would be so hard to shake that off and not be depressed about the whole thing when I would come home to my family.
How truly, truly blessed we are!
How great that you GOT the money makeover and are strong enough to implement it. How great it is that we have our faith to help us navigate these days. Way to go, Holly and hang in there!
I think, for myself anyway, that we need to refuse to be slaves, but accept when we are called to be martyrs in some way. I need to be willing to die to self to live for Him. And it's not easy. But you are doing it! Thank you for your witness in that.
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