“…I had NEVER put $20 worth of gas in a car in my life….”

How “things” have  changed over time…. Who would have thought?

I remember in 1962 when gas was as low as .139 cents per gallon, during “gas wars,” which no-one around today, would even remember.  In 2014, it was as high as $4.00 per gal.  Back in 1972, while in St. Louis, attending a seminar, we visited some old friends and went “bar-hopping,” and had to stop and get gas, and the gas bill came to about $23.00, and I protested about having to pay the excess over $20, because I had NEVER put $20 worth of gas in a car in my life.

I received two college degrees, and the cumulative cost came to something in the range of $2 or 3,000, of which I only paid $640.00, and was able to get my employers to provide the difference.  Today, at the same university, it would cost in the range of $100K.   When I attended college, the required text books cost about $70.00 for all of them together, and today my grandchildren tell me that they have to pay about $100, just for one book.

I bought my first “new car,” a 1964 4-door Mercury Comet (made by Ford), and paid about $2200.00 for it.  Today, the same type of vehicle would cost about $35K.  Most people I know, though, pay in the range of $65K for a nice luxury car.

My first house was a 3 bedroom, one bath, LR, DR, Kit, all brick, on a corner lot, with 950 sq., costing about $7500.00, with payments of $75.00 per month, including taxes and insurance.  The same house, today, would cost about $200,000, if you could even find one.   A half-way decent house that would house a family of five, would cost about $400K.  Today, my daughter lives in a 4100 sq., 5BR, 5 ½ bathrooms, 10’ ceilings, with a 3-car garage, the cost of which would be too high to mention.   We rented our first apartment, a 2BR, on-bath, for $60 per month. And, in that very same apartment complex, today, it costs $1000.00  for the exact same apartment.

My first TV was a 19” portable, black & white, on a rolling stand, which cost $179.00.  I priced a 70” Samsung the other day for $1599, and thought nothing of the excessive price.   We were very fortunate to even have a TV.   Today, I am embarrassed and ashamed to admit, we have 6 television sets floating around the house, all various sizes.

I have a vague memory in 1954 of my parents buying me a sweater, apple, orange, and an ink pen with an advertisement on it, which represented my Christmas presents for that year.  Today, we would pay about $500 per child for Christmas presents.  And, this does not count various other gifts that are “required.” (wife).

We routinely bought groceries, about 3-bags, for an entire week worth, for about $15-18.00; and just tonight, my bride and I stopped at the local grocery and paid $127.00 for three bags.  My wife and I, in 1959, used to go to the local “greasy-spoon” and bought our evening meal, consisting of a meat and two vegetables for .57 cents, plus 3% state sales tax; totaling ….$0.60 cents.  A “real-splash” of a meal, in a nice restaurant, would cost $8 or 9.00.  A few weeks ago, we went to a local “up-scale-restaurant,” and the bill for my family of 13, came to $350.00.

When we first started out in life, I had “one pair of shoes,” and didn’t buy another pair until the first pair wore out.  I could buy a pair of oxfords at the local “Tom McAnn’s” for  about $4 bucks.  A decent pair of shoes, today, would cost about $150.00.

When I was a kid, I was paid one-dollar to cut the yard, and today, I have to pay $100.00 to have our yard cut.  I cut the entire yard by myself; whereas the guys who cut my yard, send in a “4-man-staff” dressed in blue, with all kinds of equipment, and spend two hours on my yard….and worst yet; I think I’m getting a fair deal.

I could go on and on…we all know the cost of living has gone up, for sure, and I don’t need to be-labor the point any more.  So, rather ….I’m going to talk about what has “not changed.”

God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  God does not change.  Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Malachi 3:6 – “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.  

 …Blessings…cjlb…12/23/14.