My old friend Joe made a living for years at the checkout stand. Or really
just before you check out, he owned and filled those cheesy wire racks at the
check out stands. You know the ones, filled with junky, impulse items you never
would consider, until faced to look at them for a few minutes. Plastic
soldiers, junk sold only on TV, bobby pins, kids books, and other non-necessary
items, not one something you need or went in for, but end up walking out with.
Priced so as to make a difference, no more than $2, and attractively arranged so
kids can grab them, how many time did you or your kids throw one in the cart,
and the cashier ask “do you really want this?” And it is easier to say yes than
listen to a whiny kid for the long ride home. Where else can you get peace of
mind and a nanny for $2? Or be guaranteed a ride home free from “are we there
yet?” So Joe did well, until the stores caught on themselves, and did it
internally. So I always think of him when standing in line, picking up a
Hershey bar I don’t need, or reading some stupid newspaper I never would buy or
deny reading. I watch as kids are handed things like toys, and then try to take
them away rather than pay for them, to no avail. Novelty items they are called,
and somehow we just can’t resist. Look in your junk drawer at home....see what
I mean?
Another friend Ted once had the largest single grocery store in 26 western
states. He advertised you bag it yourself, and save. Place things on warehouse
like shelving, and the people loved it. A far cry from when you had someone
callously put your eggs in with heavy items, and remember double bagging? How
about those insulated bags for ice cream that never seemed to work? I bet
somewhere you can find a museum dedicated to them. Then came “paper or
plastic?” and now plastic will soon be against the law. Bring your own bags,
after you buy them, or pay 10 cents for a paper one. Which you can also bring
back. Remember these used to be called full service markets. And you carry out
your own bags, place them ever so gently in your SUV for the ride home, and hope
it all makes it safe. Somehow the ice cream still arrives slightly melted, so
you just have to sample a bowl or two.
And remember the clerk who used to call out the prices as she rang you up?
Now we barcode, and we trust the scanner to be right. Once an acquired skill,
anyone can scan and bag now, and many do at self service checkouts, which in my
case always require the assistance of the woman who is standing guard for people
like me who are self serve ignorant. Which I avoid unless in a hurry, I like
the attention of someone checking me out. And even checks are handled
differently, at one time a code was written on them by the cashier, your home
phone, driver’s license and some other info. Now we swipe a card, or pay
cash-if you have two ID’s. And at one time a credit card was used as an ID, now
you must show you r license, with a picture on it. And if and when you pay by
check, it is run through another scanner, and who knows how much about you they
are scanning. But the lines somehow don’t go any faster, prices never go down,
I miss hearing the cashier tell me the price, and how such and such is a better
deal. I miss the bag boy, who always said “you’re welcome.” The old ice cream
bags, and real bags from paper. That we used to make book covers from for our
school books. We didn’t know we were recycling then. Just doing what the older
kids did.
And one last vestige gone is deposit bottles. Whenever we needed money as
kids, there were always glass bottles to pick up and take in, 2 cents for small,
and 5 cents for large. A wagon load could get you enough for ice cream and a
soda. Today we have gone to one way plastic, which now has a deposit on it, and
we recycle. Seems the more things come around, they come around. And I still
dream of hearing over loud speaker, “carry out on check stand 3!” Or the
manager’s vice alerting you to the special in produce. K MART will always be
known for their “blue light special,” and at one time women tried to impress
others with their bags. Nordstrom’s, Sears, Hess Bros. were all shopping backs
to show off, even if shopping at K Mart. But those days are gone, long gone.
And the old belief of two ways to make more money, either more people, or more
dollars per sale is alive and well. Just not service oriented. A famous ad
once saw a daughter yelling at her mother, “Mother please, I rather do it
myself.” Now she has to.
And with Internet sales replacing mail order, and consumers wishing to get
the most from their shopping, it seems everything is priced to sell. At a price
that seems right for that item. $1.99 sells better than $2.03, 10 cents each or
two for a quarter still sells more for the quarter, and who can read the long
list of computerized descriptions when you get home. Do the item counters at
Costco really count all your items? Do we always get what we paid for? How
willing are we to settle for less? Today I watch as some people still stumble
over what they eat. Some even divide over religious foods, kosher or non.
Hoping the meat inspector who took the bribe is honest. But today many eat
things, do things, or don’t do things based on religious practices. Bound by
laws they don’t understand, some acting high and mighty because they don’t eat
certain foods. Now my eating habits have changed, but I won’t preach at you,
eat what you want. And one women at our Bible study always try to impress us
with her eating habits. While sneering at us when eating a croissant or pizza.
Her natural pizza is better. Maybe that is why she is overweight. But it
really comes down to freedom, freedom to make the decision of eat or be eaten.
Paul tells us in Romans of those who stumble over dietary laws, then spread it
to other matters. He tells how their faith is weak under laws, and many lose
the freedom God has given in all areas. And don’t enjoy eating, something God
created and is necessary to sustain life. So he made it fun and enjoyable. Can
you imagine a Kosher inspector when Jesus fed the 5000? The fact that God
supplied it, must it still have man’s stamp on it? Yet many do things today
under the law, rather than in the spirit. And this ideology filters down to
other decisions too. My church or religion says no. We don’t dance, no
instruments. We don’t believe in healing. You must give 10%, and do these
works to be saved. Which can cast doubt on those who not under the same
burdens. God leaves some things up to us, but yet we don’t go to him. Our
conscience will tell us, but if the law says it is OK, or the church condones
it, then it OK to sin. And they brag about what they cannot do, while I brag
about what God does. All things can be done in Christ, in his strength. Yet if
you play an instrument like King David did, you dance in the spirit, or have
been healed miraculously, they deny it. Until they get hungry or sick, then the
rules change.
Try freedom for a change, you really only know about a law when you break
it and someone reminds you. I have never been pulled over and thanked for going
the speed limit. Find a freedom in Christ that allows you to make the decision,
not some church or religion. Jesus was always trying to be tripped up by the
Pharisees, to see which law they could catch him breaking. But like in real
life, the accusers know because they usually are guilty of that sin. Dedicate
yourself to Christ, you were once forbidden, God has made a way to him. We
accept those that choose to live under the law, funny how those under the law
try to find fault with us. Aren’t we all forgiven, for all sins by Jesus? Do
what God says is right, and love others. And you will find love not only covers
a multitude of sins, but opens up a freedom in Christ you didn’t know about.
And his spirit in you will let you know when you stray, and he’ll forgive you,
so you can move on. A full service God, who at checkout,will find you not
guilty, but innocent. And welcome you home, rather than pinning a list on you
for Judgment Day. We are forgiven, we are free. So have the attitude of
Christ, who although was God, came to earth as a man to serve. Take Paul’s
advice, and just live a life of goodness, peace, and love and enjoy life. God
has written his law of love on our hearts, the only way to show them is love.
Not by telling others what to eat, or how to worship. Led by the spirit, not by
law. It’s your choice. No will that be paper or plastic? Cash or check? Only
Jesus makes checking out so easy. Let us be known by our love, not our laws.
Would you rather be forgiven or condemned? Smoking or non? Heaven or hell?
Now there is something to be concerned about....we will all check out someday.
To which Jesus says “you’re welcome.”
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com