Ice Storms & Advertising

The mundane tasks of everyday life can lull you to apathy and push God to the back of your mind. Refuse to become self-sufficient in life. You need God every day, whether you're facing a storm or not.  Paul Chappell

Dallas has an ice storm last week.  We are still feeling the effects of it.  In this part of Texas we don’t normally get beautiful fluffy flakes of snow.  We live on the edge of ice and snow which means sleet and ice.   I’ve learned several things about ice storms in the past week. Some of the things I learned I already knew from past experience, and others I learned for the first time. Maybe I am just slow.

Anyway, the first thing I refreshed my memory with is that there are some people who don’t understand the term “ice”.  We had a day and a half of sleet with temperatures in the teens and twenties so driving was a challenge.  Businesses, schools and highways closed.  When I finally was able to drive to work the streets were still frozen.  It never ceases to amaze me how people will drive 60 to 70mph on ice.  You can have cars littering the freeway on both sides and smashed into the guardrails and they will still drive fast to get where they are going. It’s like playing Russian roulette.   

The second thing I learned was that when a sheet of ice 1-2inches thick sits on the roof of your car and you drive around for a while, the wind will eventually catch that 2 x 4 piece of ice and shoot it 30 feet into the air, especially when you are driving 60 mph.  I lost count of the times I saw this happen.  What goes up must come down according to gravity and it did; all over other cars. 

This is the best thing I learned during the ice storm.  When an ice storm occurs around Christmas people can’t get out and shop.  So retailers don’t make their quotas because people aren’t shopping, so they have big sales.  Every commercial on the radio is advertising their “ice-mageddon” sale.  Car dealers are taking $10,000 off, stores are advertising buy one get one free and 70% off prior to Christmas. 

When I heard the first few commercials it started me thinking.  There is incredible mark-up on things.  To make money businesses use markup.  The problem is some businesses do what I call extreme markup.  So if a car dealer can afford to take $10,000 off a brand new car, believe me he is still going to make money. 

When it comes to advertising we are reeled in like a big ole fish.  We believe the hype of what advertisers sell us but we decide to ignore the warnings.  If we really listened to advertisements we would never buy what they are selling.  Am I the only one who doesn’t want to take a medication that can cause suicidal thoughts, hinder brain function, cause blood clots, heart palpitations, breathing problems, hallucinations, yellow eyes, nausea, accelerated heart beats, blindness, trouble walking, loss of hair, sleeplessness, stroke, coma and death?  Does it scare you that you might run into someone taking this medication?  It takes 2 minutes out of a 3 minute commercial to tell you how bad it is for you. Whatever problem I have that I need the medication for doesn’t sound so bad now does it. 

I believe there are good commercials out there just as there are honest businesses out there who are not out to hit a home run with you as the ball.  Wisdom comes in all sizes and if you listen pray and think, God will give you the answers you need to make informed decisions on anything in life.       

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I listen to advertisements and some of them literally scare me.  They promise all kinds of things that in reality will not make my life any happier, more fulfilled or peaceful.  I pray for Your wisdom when I make decisions.  You are an amazing God and Your wisdom is what I need.  If I will just listen, meditate and pray You will provide.  Every decision I make should be run through your filter first.  Thank You for Your patience with me when I am hard headed.   

Scripture: The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity; To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, To understand a proverb and an enigma, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.  Proverbs 1:1-7