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<\/p>\nI’ve had a lot of frustrations and disappointments running through my head lately. They have to do with real estate, the American Dream, how that relates to my family, my job, and what I’m on this planet for.<\/p>\n
We got married, we bought a trailer so we could “build equity” (unfortunately the scare quotes ARE necessary). So, we did this so we weren’t throwing money away in rent. Then we bought ANOTHER trailer so we could be closer to church and friends, then we bought the cheapest house we could afford (except it turns out that we couldn’t really afford even that) so we could get out of the tin-can trailer world and into a “real house”. Now we are back in the same trailer we started in and about the same amount of cash in the bank. Four years and the circle is complete. So what the heck am I shooting for? Time to reexamine it.<\/p>\n
All around us, just one mile away is a new subdivision that wasn’t there last year. It’s full of big, beautiful houses that would be sooo nice to live in, right? Really? Oh, so we can save up for a few more years, I’ll probably get a raise at work, maybe my wife’s parents will inherit some money and if everything comes together, we could maybe live in one of these cool places soon instead of crammed with all our kids into a tin can. Wait! Stop the tape!<\/p>\n
So is THAT what I’m working for? The culmination of all my hopes and dreams?
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Oddly enough, this was really driven home to me lately by watching Over the Hedge<\/a> with my daughter. The film pokes fun at suburban living, and nothing so much as the song during the closing credits. I guess it’s a rehash of a Ben Folds<\/a> song that originally made fun of rap-core.<\/p>\n Here are some excerpts:<\/p>\n We drive our cars everyday Hotwheels take rising stars We’re rocking the suburbs We’re rocking the suburbs At the same time, I get this sick feeling in my stomach when I read Michael Spencer blogging about John Piper’s “Don’t Waster Your Life”<\/a>. Now, much of the book boils down to how you aren’t really a cool Christian unless you do foreign missions. I have serious beef with that (and so does Michael), but I won’t go into it here. Isn’t it obvious though? Actually, Piper doesn’t believe that either. He’s a sharp guy. That’s just the feeling<\/em> you get reading his book in this case. Ron Hutchcraft’s “Called to Greatness” has the same halo. Actually, there is great stuff in both these books…I digress though. I get a sick feeling when I just see the little image that Michael is using for these blog posts:<\/p>\n I feel sick because I think, “Oh my God, that’s me!”.<\/p>\n Anyway, the idea of living in one of these suburban dream homes, filling it with cheap plastic crap, and non-so-cheap furniture, is starting to REALLY lose it’s appeal. I used to be jealous of my friends and colleges who have this life. Now I’m not so sure.<\/p>\n
\nTo and from work both ways
\nSo we make just enough to pay
\nTo drive our cars to work each day
\n(MW: I have seriously spent the last year doing exactly that.)<\/strong>We’re rocking the suburbs
\nAround the block just one more time
\nWe’re rocking the suburbs
\nCause I can’t tell which house is mine
\nWe’re rocking the suburbs
\nWe part the shades and face facts
\nThey got better looking Fescue
\nRight across the cul de sac
\n(MW: I actually know real live people who are thinking like this now. People who used to be interesting in college. People with hopes and dreams, reduced to rats in the consumer race. And I’m RIGHT behind them! Ahhh! I just don’t have quite as much money yet.)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nGet rich quick seminars
\nSoap opera magazines
\n40,000 watt nativity scenes
\nDon’t freak about the smoke alarm
\nMom left the TV dinner on
\n(MW: OK. I don’t really relate to this stuff (thank God), I just think that part about the nativity scene is pretty funny!)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nFeed the dog and mow the lawn
\nWatching mommy balance the checks
\nWhile daddy juggles credit cards
\n(MW: Somebody shoot me.)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nYou’ll never know when we are gone
\nBecause the timer lights come on
\nAnd turn the cricket noises on…
\n(MW: I think this happens a little bit further down the road, when you start to worry about someone stealing your stuff. Like maybe the neighbor you’ve never met, even though you’ve lived next door for 3 years.)<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n![](\"http:\/\/i159.photobucket.com\/albums\/t152\/mattwills_photobucket\/buynothing2003.gif\")
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