Fiscal Responsibility

This is actually a, where do you stand on ......, question.
I remember in the Hutterite group I was with, every contributed as they were able.
Since almost everyone was under 24 - that was not much!

But for those of us whom were cash poor, there was contributing by doing auto maintenance and repair.
Or, building repair.
Or grounds care.

Usually all went well for me.
I studied hard, finishing a 4 year course of study in 2.
I worked when work could be found.
But by 1975, there simply was none to be had!

And I did go an entire month with no food!
I even applied for welfare and food stamps but was turned down.
My farther chose to declare me as a dependent in 1974!
Did not matter I could prove he had not provided for me since 1971!

I did have a partial box of Ritz crackers
After an appropriate prayer of thanks,
I would enjoy a 5 cracker dinner or 3 cracker lunch.
At the end of one month,
I was out of crackers.
And God blessed me with several bags of groceries!

Of course my early professional years were years of hyper-inflation.
Saving or investing was ludicrous!

Of course once inflation fell to single digits. I started savings.
By 1996, I had enough to retire on,
According to the "talking heads" ....

But God had by then laid  Eastern European orphans on my heart and soul!
Four adoptions plus first year plus first year medical care.
and Savings was a thing of the past.

I still had a little money.
But, what t do?
One daughter loved ice skating and was gifted.
So, I spent to the last dime to get her ready for the Olympics.
And ended up grounding one obnoxious teenager!

So, I am the last one you want advice from!

Yeah, I played the stockmarket three times,
Taking a bath each time.
If Kris stock, must lose all value within weeks!
Buy mining property, must flood and remain so!
Buy a collector car, total loss of value!
Buy property, sure agent goes to jail for fraud, but I was still stuck with uninhabitable house!
and on,and on, and on!

Pathetic!

And yes, I was a heavy tither to ministries!

So, I don't get it.
Other than God has made it painfully obvious I am to count on Him.
And not my abuilities.

Which is what we are supposed to be anyway ....