Is this really worth it?

Mavis and John were sitting with an after dinner drink watching a TV programme about up market
homes in Australia. Mavis sighed and said, "That is my dream, to live in a home like that. I don't want to wait until our children are about ready to leave home. We should live in a home like that as
soon as we are married."

John was a bit taken aback knowing that Mavis had lived in a very ordinary home with her parents and five brothers and sisters where bedrooms had to be shared and they only knew secondhand furniture. They didn't have many modern home appliances. Why should they, with so much free labour available?

"OK," said John, "make a list of all the things you would like, no harm in dreaming."

With that, Mavis reached for pen and paper and wrote, double or triple glazing, solar panels, clothes
dryer, dish washer, all of the latest appliances for the kitchen and an up to date TV and Sky, a
bedroom for each of our children and one for guests.

"We would need to have a least two ensuites. There could be more things but I will have to give it more thought."

"Yes but dear that is going to cost us alot of money," said John.

Mavis replied,"I've thought of that. I'm prepared to work full time and not have kids until I'm in my mid thirties. Let's work it out to get a rough cost and ask some of our friends how they cope. Look at the wonderful holidays they have and shows they can go to."

So that is what she did and got a wide variety of replies. They ranged from why have snotty little kids mucking up your home, who wants to be getting up to crying babies when you are mid thirties, don't your parents want grandkids, who will look after you when you are old? Who wants to go to work on a beautiful summer's day when you could be out in the garden?

So John and Mavis did some calculations and were horrified at the cost of building and as Christians they thought will all this make us happy? IS THIS REALLY WORTH IT? Perhaps we
can compromise, have less of the latest gadgets and have kids who will open up our world and will we have friends who will have time for us and we can have time to smell the roses.

Would the Lord say "congratulations on your fine house in the best area but did you miss out on the joys of simple things in life?"


Margaret Hawkey