This is being edited on the cusp of 2012 AD. The nation has been in the grip of an economic downturn that revealed itself and began to ramp downward in 2006, becoming intense in the final year of the George Bush Presidential Administration, and pressed on into Barack Obama’s – the period in which this page is written. In addition, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has cost billions of dollars, and a monstrous catastrophe, especially when added to the devastating Katrina storm in Louisiana in 2005. Wars have dragged on, with one becoming longer (10 years) than that led by Washington to gain American freedom. The lengthy story, that includes nature’s furies, can be extended. The tensions, problems, dysfunctions and calamities are weaving a pattern of doubt that mankind can solve human problems, either personally or corporately.
A study recently concluded differently than common belief about the Depression of the 1930s through the end of World War II. The study asserts that the people were not as negative about life in the period as they have been made out to be. There was widespread poverty, drought was annual, aspirations were muted, but, in general, families got on. Among the revived discussions there was included the evidence of what American life was like a century earlier (1910). The average life for men was 47 years; 14% of homes had a bathtub; and, about 8% had a telephone. There were about 5000 cars, and 144 miles of paved roads outside of city limits. Gas was purchased through the drug store. Speed in town was 10 miles per hour. Average wage was 22 cents an hour, and the spendable cash was about $200 to $400 annually.
A competent accountant made $2,000 annually. Dentists received $2,500: veterinarians between $1500 and $4,000. Mechanical engineers were highly valued receiving $5,000. 95% of births took place in the home. 90% of doctors had no college education – coming from medical schools labeled substandard. Sugar cost 4 cents a pound, eggs 14 cents a dozen, and coffee 15 cents a pound. Most baths were taken once a week. Women washed their hair about once a week using Borax or egg yolks for shampoo. The American flag had 45 stars. One of every five adults could neither read nor write. Fewer than 10% of American adults had a high school education. Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were over the counter at drug stores, but there were few addicts. Nearly one in five homes had a live-in servant or domestic. There were 240 reported murders in all 45 states. This story might be extended in the same vein. My mother taught school in 1920 having only an academy (high school) education. After world warfare circumstances were improving but stalled in 1930 as economic depression deepened. We adapted. The first coast to coast paved road opened in 1930. Farms didn’t have electricity, and prices approached the former low levels. Just before my marriage in 1943, I lived in the home of one of those doctors who had never gone to an accredited college. (He was an effective doctor.) I recall much more than can be included here. My recall suggests families may have been happier formerly than currently. Walt Disney found it so, and modeled Disneyland, in 1955, after the American city life during the 1900-1910 decade.
It is good to join with the Apostle Paul to become the persons that God means for us to be in our own generations, so to know how to abound and suffer want. During decades, I have met those who needed to have more, and those who needed less. God permits vacillation of economic circumstances partly so that better parts of us may emerge. The rigors of denial and the comforts of plenty are always on the human horizon. As we follow God’s character of service to family and others, of peace and love, of stewardship and faithfulness, of work and rest, in a wholesome (righteous) society of nations, we respond in high prayer – thanksgiving. We are always tempted to make life too difficult, complex, tied to human accomplishment related to wealth, health, power, recognition, passion, and the transient benefits of success, application, personality, and self-interests. When the values of life become confused, found in a mix in which no clear guiding light keeps matters in place, we become disillusioned. It may be disappointment, or it becomes so great that persons becomes destructive, often taking others with them on the road to suicide. We have enough information in Scripture to protect us from such tragedy, and to give the basic satisfaction of having lived, loved, worked and believed. Many of us seem to miss the beauty of that life. There is nothing better for the individual in finding personal solutions than to be a reader of Scripture. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020