In my lifetime thus far, I have lived in basically 2 places. The first of course was western Michigan, complete with the many beauties of Lake Michigan, blue-collar working class and conservative values. The second being rural eastern Ohio- rolling hills, country charm and close to many amish and menonite communities. Moving to a suburb nearest one of the biggest cities in our country has been unlike anything I've ever done in my life. The cultural/activity loving side of me loves our new community. It's truly a young family's dream. There is no lack for family-friendly things to do. We are basically 30 miles from everything you could ever imagine. We are renting a duplex in an awesome development complete with tree-lined sidewalks, parks, basketball and tennis courts and millions (or at least it seems) of kids. I have enjoyed discovering and exploring our new homeland, and am looking forward to making many positive connections with our church family. All that to say, I am also seeing through a lot of things and it is causing me to think long and hard about what I really value in this life.
We were recently mailed a township report from Grayslake. It contains all kinds of facts and projections for 2008 and 2009. The report gave me a very specific demographic of the people I am living with. The average income for a family in Grayslake is $90,000 per year. Over 90% of people have a college education and another high percentage have done grad. work as well. As a teacher, I think that this is wonderful. I consider myself a life-long learner and would be in school all of the time if it was realistic. On the other hand, I can't relate to the income level and quality of living that the average "Lakie" enjoys. Though we are currently tight on cash due to one income and extra housing cost from this transition, I have always considered ourselves blessed financially. We don't have a lot, but I'm content with our life.
Since housing developments are pretty much the ONLY neighborhoods in this area, we have been exploring potential real estate just to get an idea of what we are "up against" if we are ever in the position to buy a house again. The average house in our neighborhood is between $250-$350,00 to start...and that's just for a basic bare-bones house. The property taxes range from $7,000-$13,000 per year depending on where you live. The yearly taxes ALONE would cost more than our entire mortgage plus taxes in OH! All that to say, we are more than happy to rent for a while.
There is a much-talked-about neighborhood just a mile or two away from us. It's called "Prairie Crossings". It touts itself as an "eco-friendly" community. Basically, it's $500,000-million dollar homes that are supposedly energy efficient. The yards are left UNlanscaped (you know, the whole "natural habitat thing). They have their own farm where they grow organic food (and sell it for outrageous prices), 10 miles of trails, a horse stable, a boating lake and get this- a charter school of their very own. Basically, it's an amish community for yuppies. I find it hilarious that on their web page they claim to be racially and economically diverse. I can't speak to the ethic claim, but I can disagree with the "affordable" living quip. I don't know many "average" people who could afford million dollar homes.
I was driving to a friends house last night and noticed another billboard advertising for another "eco-friendly" community that is in process of being built. The sign said, "Prairie Trail- eco-friendly luxury living with it's own elementary school! Starting from the $390s). Talk about elitism! I laughed out loud. Sure, the green monster inside might rage once in a while, but this is truly not about jealousy or envy here. This is disgust at the all-out blatant elitism with the ever popular "green" card to boot! Since when did living a healthy considerate lifestyle become the wealthy person's mantra? It's own elementary school? Heaven forbid that the rich kids have to mingle with the lesser ones over at the public schools.
Their farm/petting zoo consists of a cow, horse, a goat and chicken. People come from miles around to see them. It reminds me of a line from a Joni Mitchell song,
"They took all the trees
Put em in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see em"
(Big Yellow Taxi)
The people that live there can have the best of both worlds. City living with all of the charm of the country. Sounds appealing, right? Of course it does. But wow...doesn't that give one pause to think and get some perspective?
I'm not just talking about elitism within the housing and schools sectors here...I'm basically questioning...well, the American Dream. We are reaping rewards from decades of work laid down by our relatives. We live such lives of convenience now and have gotten so caught up with our jobs, money and retirement plans...have we forgotten to include God in that equation? It's fine and good to work hard, save and have nice things...but at what cost to our family relationships and testimony to our communities?
Something that goes hand in hand with these thoughts is our treatment of church. We have churches on every corner in our country. We church shop, deciding what style, demographic and programs we like. It's all about how church will fit into our nice little reality that we've made for ourselves. I have been so convicted of this lately. God has been working on my own wicked and blind heart to recognize some of these things.
I have been spending a lot of time in Luke lately. I love reading the actual words of Jesus. How perfectly it pertains to mankind then, and now. I have been reflecting on a passage from 14:25. "Now, great crowds accompanied Him, and He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and consider the cost? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish'. ...Therefore, any of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple".
Jesus is getting at our very problem. SIN. Of course Jesus doesn't want us to HATE our friends and relatives, but we can't have a white-knuckled grip on ANYTHING in this lifetime- whether it be money, possessions, our church, and yes, even our relationship with others. We must live with the true reality- we are sinners saved by grace. We are entrusted with this life, our gifts, talents and interests. What will we do with them?
Pave paradise? Look at the world around us through bullet-proof glass praying for the Savior's return so we can get out of the trouble of the world? What does it mean to gain the whole world, only to loose my life? I so long for a 3-step plan to ensure a christian life, marriage, family. In a lot of ways, I'm no better off in my self than those who wish to separate themselves by living in these "communities". I'm in a raging battle between my old self and my regenerated self in Christ. Learning to trust, have faith... at the end of the day, it's all we have. My prayer is that God will keep me humble and dependent on Him so that I don't loose this perspective. I don't want to wake up one day and realize that I "didn't know what I had... 'till its gone"...
