The Most Expensive Gas Ever

We’re in Nevada, again.  A lovely three-night’s stay within eyesight of Lake Tahoe.  Beautiful…when it isn’t raining.

This morning, as my lovely bride woke for a 6 a.m. conference call I stayed in bed watching over our snoozing 15-weeks old little girl.  When she woke about 8:00 a.m. it was time for daddy day-care and a spousal rescue effort.  That’s right.  I had to go for coffee.

I had to drive all the way to California for coffee this morning.   A whopping 8 miles there and back.  I even surprised my bride of nearly 12 years with banana walnut bread.  Scored major points.

The last time I filled the gas tank of the RV was somewhere in the central valley of California, about 120 miles south of Sacramento, give or take a few miles.  The price, if paying via credit card, was $4.17 per gallon.

This morning’s “gas” was about $9 bucks for barely a quart.  But it was the best $30 per gallon “gas” that I’ve ever had.

And to top it off, I was able to help someone in need.

At a women’s fellowship gathering this past January, my wife picked up this idea from another lovely lady in our congregation, which she found on Pinterest, to gather some necessary items for a little gallon zip-lock lag of helpfulness.  Included in the bags are a $10 gift card to Walmart, a few disposable razors and shaving cream, some snack bars, tissues, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, hand sanitizer, and a number of other items – the bags can be quite unique with whatever may come to mind.

I simply handed the bag to the gentleman standing on the corner, expressing my hope that the items could provide some comfort and help along this man’s journey, a journey that I hope will turn more fortunate in the days to come.

There’s a raging debate over social care these days.  I have been patient to listen to all sides of the story before putting this response together.

There’s a small piece of scripture that sums up our society.  You will always have the poor with you.

The idea behind social services is to offer a hand up, not a hand out, as many will debate.  I also understand that some people invested in the welfare programs offered exist to abuse said social services for just that, a hand out.

However, I do believe ideas like drug testing for welfare recipients is just as inane an idea as bears playing basketball.  Florida has already proved that beyond a reasonable doubt.  And now North Carolina, Michigan, and a few other states are considering the same testing.

Let’s face it – the concern is wasting public monies on the degenerates of society, if there is such a thing.  I get that.  I wouldn’t want to waste money either.  Especially on coffee…oops.  However, while the concern is heavily on our welfare recipients, why do lawmakers consistently turn down the idea that they should be tested too?  What do they have to hide?

We will always have the poor with us.  That doesn’t mean we should neglect those in need or keep giving those who want a hand out a hand out.  It means we need an overhaul of the social system that offers a consistent hand up.  It also means that we need to recognize that some people just won’t take advantage of a system to help themselves to a better place.  In my line of work, that doesn’t negate the obligation to offer help.  As author MK Asante once said, “if you make an observation, you have an obligation.”

Perhaps that help comes in the form of a zip-lock bag that was relatively cheap to put together to offer some assistance in the interim.   Perhaps that means another food drive to fill the shelves of a community pantry.  We will always have the poor.  Neglect is not an option.

So my coffee was great.  The the bag to someone in need offered a little hope for myself that I’m doing the right thing – offering some assistance that won’t necessarily go to waste.  Sure, the young man could simply throw it out.  I suppose I’ll run into that.

Compassion for others is a great gift.  We shouldn’t let that go to waste.  We must not let that go to waste.

I know this is overly simple.  I know I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of an issue that deeply divides.  But it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Keep it simple people.  Start with loving one another.