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January 22, 2009
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
The Problem with Commitments, by Rubel Shelly
City officials in Bullhead City, Arizona, are in hot water with that
town's military veterans over an "eternal" flame. The question seems to
be whether to make the flame "eternal" or only "occasional." And I am
sensitive to both sides here. On the one side is the principle of honor
where honor is due; on the other is the matter of fiscal responsibility
in these challenging days. Here's the story, according to the Mohave
Valley Daily News of January 10, 2009.
With great fanfare last Veterans Day, the flame was ignited for the
Medal of Honor Memorial at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Park. An
agreement between Bullhead City and Veterans United -- a veterans group
that had worked to design, build, and pay for the memorial -- called
for the city to maintain the park and the new memorial. The perpetual
flame was one of the most distinctive features.
But last week the eternal flame sat cold and dark. The first month's
gas bill for $961.17 had come to the city in December. After deciding
to leave the eternal flame on through the holidays, it was turned off
last Monday as a cost-cutting measure. The city manager explained that
the perpetual flame might have to be only an occasional flame -- set
ablaze only for special events such as Veterans Day, the Fourth of
July, and Memorial Day. The uproar began. "It's an 'eternal' flame,"
said one spokesman for Veterans United. "That's just not proper." Said
another: "You just don't shut off a 'perpetual' flame!" "But at this
point," said the city manager, "we don't have any money budgeted, you
know, a thousand dollars a month, to pay for that eternal flame." Said
the mayor: "You know, under the present financial circumstances, we're
very careful on how we're spending our money."
So now they're negotiating. Veterans insist figures for the gas expense
were projected in discussions all along. At least one city official
says he didn't think the city understood they had to pay the gas bill.
I hope they work it out satisfactorily. City officials in Bullhead
City, Arizona, are in hot water with that town's military veterans over
an "eternal" flame.
So now they're negotiating.
When I read the story, I thought immediately of a dozen -- no, a
"bazillion" -- other situations that parallel it. Businesses have
cranked up without a workable business plan or adequate capitalization.
Crazy-in-love kids have gotten married with no clue of what adult
responsibilities for work, education, mortgage, auto insurance, and the
like would entail -- much less kids of their own. People have made
emotional decisions to get baptized or to commit to a missions project
and were not ready to live up to the commitment.
It was Jesus who gave this counsel to some who were thinking about
joining his band of disciples: "Don't begin until you first count the
cost" (Luke 14:25-33, my summary of his words).
As the perpetual-versus-occasional flame illustrates, it is sound
advice. It spares embarrassment later. It keeps a good thing from
becoming a failed one.
---------
(c) 2009 Used by permission. From Rubel Shelly <rshelly@rc.edu>'s
"FAX of Life" printed each Tuesday. See Faith Matters for
previous issues of the "FAX of Life."
RELATED LINKS:
* No Longer New?
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200607/20060716_nolongernew.html
* No Pain, No Gain
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200811/20081112_Pain.html
* Thanks for the Flame of Freedom
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200108/20010815_freedom.html
* RubelShelly.com
http://www.rubelshelly.com/
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200901/20090122_commitments.html
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