Entitlement Mentality: From a Nation of Entrepreneurs and Hard Workers to a Nation of Whiners

We have a free, local paper here that has a column called "Speak Out." It has long been a source of amusement for me, to read the complaints (such as "we live in the United States of America but I don't understand why we have so many Canada Geese"), bizarre questions and various soapbox diatribes that people call in to have included in the column. Today, however, I just about had an aneurysm. 

There has been a slowly simmering discontent within me regarding the Entitlement Mentality that has what seems to be a death grip on the populace of this great nation. A nation forged out of adversity, by hard-working people, people who traveled thousands of miles in unfathomable conditions just to have a shot at the "American Dream", as well as people born here to families who knew the value and importance of taking care of their own. 

The blurb featured on the front page of the paper caused my jaw to drop and my dander to rise. I turned quickly to the column to read the whole comment, not wanting to take anything out of context, only to find that I was definitely NOT taking anything out of context. I will include the full comment here for your perusal:

We Are Struggling

 I'd like to see those presidents live on what we have to live on. Why do we have to struggle when they are not struggling?

 They could give some of their money to some of us other people like senior citizens and other people who don't have jobs. They could hand some of that money over to us.

 But they don't need it. They're already millionaires. Let them share it with us. We need it. They don't.

 I'd like to know if I am the only one who feels this way because it kind of makes me mad to think we have to struggle when they are not struggling at all.

 There are some weeks I don't even have money for groceries. If it wouldn't be for my little garden, I wouldn't even have any grocery money.

Let me start by saying that I am not a millionaire. I know what it's like to not know how we're going to pay the utility bill in the dead of winter, or the rent, or how to feed five people on $60 a week. I've even had a food stamp card. So I get struggling to make ends meet. And I feel for those who are in that position right now. And I wouldn't mind having some of what those millionaires have, either, for the record. It would sure make things easier here!

I don't know this person's situation, either, so it would be unfair for me to categorically include them in the masses inflicted with Entitlement Mentality. But it sure does seem that this person has a raging case of it by what they said.

So now, tell me, why do millionaires have to share their millions with you? To "hand some of that money" over to you? Just because you don't have any? How does that even make sense? To expect someone who has more than you to just hand money over to you because you do not, well, to me that sounds very childish. Because the underlying message here is that "it's not fair" that someone has more than you. 

When, exactly, did life become fair? Is it even reasonable to expect fairness in every area of life? Liberals have some good ideas...of course we should do what we can to make life better for others, but where I take issue is when it's demanded, or forced. That whole "redistribution of wealth" concept really doesn't work...just take a look at the countries who practice it. I can't say standing in line for hours to buy bread is really good for the collective. Life, by its very nature, is unfair! And there is nothing that any law, mandate, referendum, policy or political correctness can do to change that.

But that's what those inflicted with Entitlement Mentality apparently believe...that others, who may work harder (or just work, as the case may be), who become successful through educational opportunities (that are available to everyone, by the way, although some will just have to work harder than others to achieve success), planning, and making wise choices for themselves, have to hand over the wealth they accumulate to people who don't  take advantage of education, don't work hard at improving their lives, fail to plan, and make irresponsible decisions. Simply because they have what others do not. It really drives me nuts!

Of course, there are all kinds of situations and exceptions and people who really are down on their luck in spite of doing the right things. Those aren't the ones I'm talking about here.  They are the kind of people who will accept help, but still do what they can do get out of their situation and improve their lot in life. It's the ones who won't work, won't go to school, won't be responsible for themselves or the babies they create, and then expect everyone who has what they want and can't have, because of their own choices and irresponsibility, to cover their living expenses, pay their medical bills and buy them food. Or expect the government to do it for them.

Am I saying that those who are blessed with abundant financial means should keep it to themselves and never help anyone? Absolutely not! I believe part of being responsible with wealth includes giving to the poor and helping the less fortunate. As one with a heart to give to others as I am able, I consider it a blessing to be able to do just that. And as a follower of  Christ, I know that it is my responsibility, my duty, to serve others and give.

When did we go from a nation of people proud of working hard to become successful to a nation of people who expect the government, or the very wealthy, to provide for their every need? When did the role of government change from its proper role, to prevent crime and lawlessness, to its perceived role of Nanny, of Provider? Why have so many Americans fallen victim to Entitlement Mentality?

The proper role of government is to restrain crime of every sort. The problem of government is that it becomes the perpetrator of the very crimes it is supposed to restrain, except on a massive scale. This is why the Founders established the Constitution. Its purpose is to restrain government, giving it limited, enumerated authority. The purpose of government is not to redistribute the private property of its citizens, or to provide a benefit to one class of citizen, at the expense of the rest. When this happens, all classes begin to demand special benefits using the police power of government to extract it from their fellow citizens until you have anarchy. ~ Our Republic (emphasis mine)

It is really sad to see this nation deteriorating and deviating from the principles on which it was founded. It is sad to see people, who have so much to offer our country and our world, fall victim to hopelessness and despair and the illusion of security provided by our government. And it is absolutely maddening to hear people whining about the fact that others have more than they do. There will always be those who have and those who have not. At least in America...for the time being...you have opportunities to leave the Have Nots and join the Haves, if only you were to quit your whining, get off your butt, and do something about it.

If you expect the government to do for you what you should be doing for yourself, don't be surprised when you end up broke, homeless and ill. It's inevitable. Just look at Washington, DC...

~yeah, I said that...

Make it Yourself and Save Money!

I just added a post to my Purposeful Nourishment blog on making your own cream of mushroom soup, plus I've included a recipe for Taco Seasoning and my mother in law's famous Burrito Casserole. Come check it out!

Kicking the Can(ned Cream of Mushroom Soup): A Healthy Alternative + 2 BONUS Recipes!

WE HAVE A WINNER!! Congratulations!

(Due to technical difficulties on November 1, the winner of the Really Woolly Kids DVD giveaway was chosen just now...thanks to ClassTools.net Random Name/Word Picker)

AMANDA, you're the lucky winner!

Please contact me with your address so I can send it out to you! Thanks again for following my blog and for entering the giveaway, I know your kids will love this DVD!

Boys

Originally, I didn't want to have children. I didn't want to sacrifice my freedom, I absolutely adored sleep, and I didn't want to bring another innocent life into this crazy world. God had other plans in store for me, though!

I now have five kids...three stepsons - 20, 18 and 16...a daughter, 10 and one boy of my very own, who is almost 3. God is funny like that, really.

When I was pregnant with my daughter, and before I knew she was a she, I was pretty sure she'd be a boy, given her father's track record...and his family's, it's just absolutely fraught with boys...in fact, even at the ultrasound I had just before being induced, to see if she was big enough, they said she was a girl. I said "I'll believe it when I see it!" I was so relieved when I saw that she was, indeed, a girl. At that point in my life, I don't think I could have handled a boy.

I didn't really want to have a boy. Boys are strange, foreign creatures. They like dirt, rocks, army men, sticks and guns and noise. I don't really like those things, so how am I to relate to someone who does? How do I get past the rambunctious, infinite energy...the things that get broken...the dirt...

Two of my stepsons live with us, and we have a long, complicated family history. It hasn't always been pretty. We haven't always gotten along so well. But I've been praying for restoration in our family, and for reconciliation between my stepsons and I. That's a tall order, especially at the stage of life they are in now!

And recently, they all had birthdays. This year the idea popped into my head to make them whatever they want for breakfast. Oldest Boy's birthday was on a Saturday, and the way the day went we ended up having his birthday breakfast for supper...but hey, pancakes and bacon from the best butcher shop around is good any time of day!

The next birthday was for Youngest Boy, who turned 16. He wanted cinnamon rolls, hot wings and chocolate milk. So I made cinnamon rolls...that almost didn't turn out, but then ended up being really yummy...and cheated a bit on the wings, I got frozen ones and nuked them. He said that was ok, so I went ahead and took the shortcut.

And Middle Boy, who is a well-known carnivore, wanted steak and bacon and scrambled eggs and cheese. So, I made a New York Strip steak, two pounds of bacon (like anyone else around would stay out of the bacon...had to make sure there was enough!) and scrambled eggs and cheese. His friend joined him and ate the eggs, Birthday Boy was quite full of steak and bacon.

I got some of the best compliments...the youngest one (who told me his friends are jealous because I make him breakfast every morning before school) thought the cinnamon rolls were awesome, when Middle Boy walked in the house (he's the one not living with us), he said after checking out the steak, "Dawn knows the way to a man's heart", Middle Boy's friend said "why can't my mom cook as good as you?", to which Middle Boy said it's because "she puts a lot of love in it."  That really made my day. Because I really did put a lot of love in all three meals. And I meant it.

I realized after reflecting on all this Birthday Breakfast stuff that I felt rather maternal toward them. I'm not actually their mother, and even "stepmother" is more of a title than anything. I wondered if this is how moms with a bunch of teenage boys feel, when they're cooking their sons' favorite meals. It was nice. God has opened my eyes recently to the wonders of my stepsons. They really are terrific young men. I'm glad that God has put them in my life.

And so, this gives me hope for my own son, who is in the same moment endearing and exasperating, loving and annoying, cute and rotten. I still haven't figured out what makes a boy tick, but I know the way to his heart is through his stomach...thank you, Lord, for giving me the ability to cook! And thank you for all these boys in my life, and what I have learned from them...and what I will learn in the years to come. They have added a dimension to my life I never knew existed, and for that I am truly grateful.

Confessions of an SLS Junkie: How I Went No-Poo

Have you heard of the No-Poo movement? It's quite interesting. I gave it a whirl, then did a guest post about it on my friend's blog, The Homesteading Hippy...come check it out! Really, her hubby read it and just totally cracked up. You'll love it, I promise! Just click that link down below there...

Confessions of an SLS Junkie:  How I Went No-Poo

I WON! But did I REALLY Want This?

Do you have a lot of luck signing up for all those giveaways on the web? Until just the other day, I've never won a thing. I was so excited that I finally won a blog giveaway! But...

I have to be honest, I entered the giveaway thinking I wouldn't win anyway, and it was helping out a friend of mine. No biggie. I honestly didn't really WANT what was being given away...not that it's a horrible thing, but, well, you'll see in a minute what I'm talking about.

The prize was a Mend Mark Bracelet. Jewelry! Everyone loves jewelry, right? But, there's something different about this one. It has a specific purpose. One that kind of hits a little too close to the truth of who I really am. And the responsibility I have as what I profess to be.

The mend mark is a distinctive wristband designed with the purpose of resembling one of the five scars of Jesus. The band features circular disks that are positioned at each side of the wrist. The intent of these is to simulate one of the holes that was instrumental in killing a King. The purpose of bearing this symbol is to emphasize the importance of His sacrifice and prompt us to never forget the role that it continuously plays in our lives.

It also reminds me of how much I am NOT like Jesus in my everyday things...thoughts, words, actions. How I deal with frustrations, challenges, my children, and people who have hurt me. I don't really want to be reminded of those things.

I also have to remember that people who don't know anything about the God I serve are seeing my actions (or reactions), hearing my words...to what conclusion do they come? That Christians are no different than the rest of the world? If that's the case, why bother? 

I know that I don't have to wear it, and I surely don't want to sound ungrateful...I just thought how ironic is that? Entering a contest because I don't think I'll win anyway, only to win something that makes me a bit uncomfortable in my skin. My daughter, when she was three, said something so profound once. She had done something naughty and when I asked her why she did it, she said "my skin made me do it." It didn't hit me until later that she was right on. That pesky flesh can sometimes make us do things we really shouldn't. 

After I put the bracelet on, I was looking at it and thinking about how God sure has one strange sense of humor sometimes. And how he always knows what we need, even when we're clueless. He said to me...

I'm going to mend all that is broken in your life. Stand still and watch me work.

This echoed what I'd read just a few days before, while praying about several things that need mending...mending that is beyond my ability...

2 Chronicles 20:17 (Amplified Bible)

¹⁷You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.

 So now, I am also reminded of what Christ's sacrifice has done for me and for all who accept it. It means that I have a powerful intermediary working on my behalf, one who always wins! And when God says to stand back and watch him work, what a relief that is. I would mess it up, for sure. I have a long track record of doing just that. But he is faithful, even when I am not. He is always there, even when I turn away. And he is true to his word. 

Thanks, God...now, about all those other blog giveaways I've entered...

DVD REVIEW and GIVEAWAY!!: Really Woolly Kids' TRUSTING IN THE SHEPHERD

You're probably familiar with Dayspring products, such as their cards and gifts, but did you know they produce DVDs too? I recently got the chance to review their Really Woolly Kids DVD, Trusting in the Shepherd.

Geared for kids aged 3-8, it features two engaging stories that teach children about trusting in Jesus, our Shepherd, through the adventures of the gang at Woollyville, including Gracie, Jacob, and Grandma Tabitha.

In the first episode, Gracie learns to trust the Shepherd while on a Ewe Scout campout in the dark, scary woods. The second episode is where Jacob learns to trust the Shepherd while dealing with a "bully" at school. Both episodes are wonderful illustrations of Psalm 23:4, easily understandable by children:

Psalm 23:4 (New Living Translation)

 ⁴ Even when I walk
      through the darkest valley,^[a]
   I will not be afraid,
      for you are close beside me.
   Your rod and your staff
      protect and comfort me.

I judge a kid's DVD by two criteria....what does it teach my child, and does it capture and engage my child's attention?  I like the message of Trusting in the Shepherd, fear is not an easy subject to broach with very young children. And I particularly liked that my almost-three-year-old was enthralled with it. I'm talking sitting still for both episodes. That is on the order of a Miracle of Truly Biblical Proportions. Akin to the Parting of the Red Sea, in my book.

And then there is a catchy song..."The Fear Not Song"...I find myself humming and singing it throughout the day and the kids will join in. I think it will even help me to fear not, as well! I also have to mention the great price, too...just $9.99.

I give this DVD a definite thumbs up! Be sure to visit the Really Woolly Kids website and their Facebook page too!

And now...I'm so excited to be able to do a GIVEAWAY on my blog! Since I generously received two copies of this great DVD, I have one to give away to one lucky reader. I hate complicated giveaways, so I'll make this really simple. You can earn two entries by doing the following:

• Follow my blog. If you already follow me, great! Just leave a comment saying so. If you're just joining, thanks!! Let me know that, too.

• And, a bonus entry for every friend of yours who follows my blog (and they can enter too, of course!), just tell them to leave a comment telling me who kindly sent them my way.

My birthday is in November, and to celebrate, I decided to extend the time to sign up for this giveaway so I can give this DVD to someone in November!

I'll be choosing the winner on MONDAY, OCTOBER 25 NOVEMBER 1, 2010.  Good luck!

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"Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR,  Part 255: "Guidelines concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."