High inflation reaches a new low (standard:humor, 954 words)
Author: Godspenman	Added: May 15 2011	Views/Reads: 2426/0	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
I am not usually given to protesting much of anything these days. "Live and let live," is the motto I go by and up until now, it has served me rather well and I have no complaints.

High inflation reaches a new low Rev. James L. Snyder 

I am not usually given to protesting much of anything these days. "Live
and let live," is the motto I go by and up until now, it has served me 
rather well and I have no complaints. 

I must confess, however, that recently I have been challenged in this
area of my life. I have tried to keep my cool and have succeeded to a 
minimal success. I know one of these days I am going to turn into 
Popeye where he says, "That's all I can stands, I can't stands n'more?" 
Then, look out. 

I will be the first to say that I certainly do not understand economics.
Balancing my checkbook each month, for example, is an act fit for a 
three-ring circus. I remember I did balance my checkbook once but that 
was 1978. My policy has been to run my checkbook until it is so 
completely mixed up I have to close that account and open up a new 
account. It is easier for me to do it that way. To spend 97 hours each 
month balancing my checkbook is a waste of time as far as I am 
concerned. For me, it is that time of the month when I come the closest 
to swearing. 

I try to listen to these money and economy experts explaining the whole
economic situation. I just wish they would not speak in Chinese. 

Of course, I am not sure I want to listen to all of these financial
experts. After all, the Wall Street financial wizards are the ones 
responsible for the financial mess our nation is in right now. If they 
are so smart, why did they screw up our national finances so much? I 
know I am not smart along these lines, but then I did not mess up the 
national economy. 

Politicians do not fare any better. I have often wondered why it is that
a politician can raise so much money so quickly while running for 
office but once in office he does not seem to be able to handle the 
money. If we could take all the money politicians raise during the 
campaign cycle and apply it to the national debt we would have two 
blessed results. One, our national debt would almost be wiped out, and 
two, no politician would ever be elected. I say, hallelujah, pass the 
offering plate. 

Last week I accompanied my wife to the store to buy groceries. It was
there I began understanding the influence of high inflation on my 
personal pocketbook. We took our groceries to the checkout counter and, 
as usual, I was not paying too much attention. The cashier rang up our 
groceries and then came to the total. I looked at it, looked at my 
wife, looked back at the total and exclaimed, "Are we feeding the Navy 
Seals?" 

I took my credit card out of my wallet and as I paid the grocery bill I
said to my wife, "Oh well, we have to eat." 

Another day this past week, I noticed the fuel gauge on my car was
pointing towards empty. I took it down to get filled up with gasoline 
and to my deep chagrin, and believe me, my chagrin does not get any 
deeper, it was almost $100 to fill it up. As I returned the nozzle and 
replaced the cap on my gas tank I sighed and said to myself, "Oh well, 
I have to drive to get anywhere." 

On Mother's Day, I took my wife and another couple to a restaurant to
celebrate Mother's Day. When I got the check, I almost expired. How can 
any restaurant charge that much for food and sleep at night? I put on 
my best smile and said to myself, "Oh well, it's nice to dine with 
another couple." 

All of this I took in stride, as they say. That is part of living and
that is part of a depressed economy. If you think our economy is 
depressed, come visit me and have a little chat and you will find 
someone who is really depressed. 

Then this inflation business crossed the forbidden line. 

I went up to the bakery department to purchase the obligatory Friday
morning Apple Fritter. I think it is important to establish good habits 
and my Friday morning Apple Fritter is one of those good habits. 

I was chatting to the person behind the counter who was getting my Apple
Fritter and did not notice the price. I took it up to the checkout 
counter to pay and noticed it was $.79. To say I was shocked is putting 
it mildly I assure you. Seventy-nine cents for my Apple Fritter! For 
over 10 years, I was paying $.70. Now, where did this nine cent 
increase come from? Who is getting this extra nine cents? 

Mess with my groceries, mess with my gasoline, but brother, do not mess
with my Apple Fritter. The most dangerous zone on planet earth is that 
area between my Apple Fritter and me. It is here that I draw the line. 
Some things in life carry with it the sacredness of, "touch thou not." 
My Apple Fritter is number one on that list. 

The Bible says, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every
purpose under the heaven:" (Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV). 

There is a time to stand up, speak up and protest loudly. 

The Rev. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, 1471
Pine Road, Ocala, FL 34472. He lives with his wife, Martha, in Silver 
Springs Shores. Call him at 352-687-4240 or e-mail 
jamessnyder2@att.net. The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com. 


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