The young gentlemen in their sports jackets, tug at their ties to loosen their collars, and mingle among the crowd while attempting to show more confidence and pride than any of them actually have. The ecstatic girls float in step with their gentleman of choice, looking as pretty as can be in their colorful mid-length skirts. Whether music can be heard, or not, they hold it within their dancing hearts.

Stan lovingly guides Melissa through the crowd, as she clings to his arm, her dreamy eyes blindly following.  

Marsha flits on by, bumping into Missy, "Oh, Missy ...sorry, didn't see you there.  What you get for graduation?"

Missy melts with pride of her testimony, "My parents got me a sports car!"

Marsha can't help being envious of Missy, not so much jealous of the car, but because of her claim to Stan.  Stan had received the Athlete of the Year award.  Stan had always been among the popular group, but there was something about the 'award' status that made every girl swoon.  Trying not to faint, she looks into Stan's eyes, "What did your parents get you, Stan?"

Stan looks back at Marsha and smiles, "I haven't opened my gift yet."  

Marsha blushes, as she'd realized she was staring too long, and perhaps revealing too much of the secret desire of her wishing to be Stan's gift.  "Well ...why don't you?"

Stan looks to Missy, still clinging to his arm, now even more tightly, "Now, that's a good suggestion, isn't it Missy?  Why don't the three of us do that very thing?"

Missy tries to hide her own feelings of three being a crowd, "I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Stan always knew that Marsha was the type that trips and falls all over her own emotions.  Marsha was a very nice girl, yet had a difficult time pairing up with anyone because most of the guys were frankly embarrassed by her excessive gushy mannerisms. But, Stan kind of likes it nonetheless.  He always had a private dream of some girl beings madly in love with him ...but not in public, and not quite as mad as Marsha.

Missy still feels crowded by Marsha's presence, and aims to humiliate her ...and hopefully be rid of her, "Why don't you tell us what you got for a graduation gift, Marsha?"

Marsha proudly announces, "My parents gave me a gift card."

Missy feels Marsha is hiding something, likely because it is probably from some place like Home Depot or Ace Hardware.  Missy tries to draw her out, "Oh, how nice ...like, is it a gift card from Victoria Secret?"

Marsha will not be intimidated, nor humiliated, "No, it's from Bed Bath & Beyonce."

Missy laughs.

Marsha begins to sing the lyrics from Beyonce's "Crazy In Love" ...

"Got me looking so crazy, my baby
I'm not myself lately

I'm foolish, I don't do this

I've been playing myself

Baby I don't care"

Missy realizes her mistake, yet tries to match wits, "I should have knowles better."

Stan's parents approach, and Stan sees the gift in Dad's hand, "Dad and Mom, you know Melissa ...I want you to meet my other friend Marsha."

After the nodding and fake smiles, Stan's Dad hands him the gift.  It is small, and he hopes it is not a gift like Marsha had received.  Maybe he'll get a gift like Missy ...maybe the small package is the keys to a car.  

His parents and Missy and Marsha ...all wait in anticipation, as he opens the gift.  It is a card ...a credit card.

Stan's Dad explains, "It's your very own credit card, son.  We figured that today ...you've graduated into a 'big-spender'. Maybe you'd like to begin by taking your two girlfriends out tonight."

Stan is a bit disappointed by the gift being too much like Marsha's and not enough like Missy's ...but he tries to save face, "That sounds like a great idea!"

It appears that Missy is the only one who doesn't think so.

So, Stan takes Missy and Marsha out ...and spares no expense. Even Missy has so much fun, she is not even so disturbed by having Marsha along.

Missy thanks Stan, "That was awfully nice of your parents to get you that credit card ...I bet we spend nearly a thousand dollars last night."

Stan admits, "We also have to thank your parents. Without the car they gave you, we wouldn't have been able to go to all those places."

Missy smiles, "I never realized adulthood would be so much fun!" 

              ************************************

But Stan gets his first shock when he gets his credit card bill ...it's for just over $70,000.

Stan consults his dad, "Dad, I have two things that are confusing me.  First, I got this bill ...and it's in my name.  I feel a little silly, but I kind of thought a graduation gift was something I didn't have to pay for.  Are you going to make payments on my bill, or ..."

Stan's dad laughs, "You think life is just free money ...where you charge things and someone else pays for it?"

Stan doesn't know what to say, "Well, no, but I thought it was a gift and ..."

Stan's dad interrupts, "So, what is the second thing you are confused about?"

Stan hands Dad the incredible credit card statement, "Look at this bill.  I only used the card that one night and I'd guess that I spent around $1,000 ...but it's for seventy times that much.  I'm going to have to call the credit card company and tell them someone made a big mistake."

Stan's dad bluntly enlightens his son, "That's no mistake.  I've had that card for several years in your name, and I was the one that charged it up so high."

Stan is shocked.  He always thought of his dad as a reasonable man ...this is simply maddening, "And you expect me to pay all that debt?"

Stan's dad smiles, "Sure, son, I love you!!"

          ******************************

Stan wakes up.  It was just a dream. But, the nightmare is ...that if each person 18 years of age or older, was to pay their 'fair share' of what is owed on our national debt, it would come to around $70,000.  And we love our children so much, we're trying to make it more.

I don't think this is fair, reasonable, or wise. So, does that align me with the Tea Party mentality? Would our government officials and their loyal followers call me an "arsonist", an "anarchist", or a "terrorist"?

When name-calling is your thing ...you are so entrenched in emotion, you suddenly become so flooded with venomous language that you are going down for the third time, drowning in spiteful and malicious accusations, unable to break contact with the surface of truth long enough to even breathe a decent breath.

A common technique, that I observed often while working in the prison system ...is to get the jump on everyone else, being the first to accuse, and usually with the content of the accusation being the every thing they are guilty of and trying to hide.  One thing I want to make very clear, right now, is that I do not aspire to that mentality or technique ...being a prisoner to one's own self: absorbed with deception and striving to gain malicious diversionary advantage; equipped with competitive pride & arrogance; or lulling into the complacency of ignorance.

Let's look at some unpopular forms of employment through the years:

• Tax collector (during Jesus' time on earth):  Very much despised for the way they would demand of everyone to pay, yet Jesus chose Matthew to follow Him.

• Bounty hunter (during the time of the Wild West):  Also despised for their methods of collecting money, with little concern whether the hunted had a fair trial, or were innocent or not.  (Just after Jesus' death, Saul was not collecting money ...but coats, as they stoned followers of Jesus.  Yet, our resurrected Savior chose him too ...and renamed him Paul.)

• Navigator (recently described position): I hear they are going to be paid rather substantially.  It comes out of our pockets, since the government will employ this program under the Affordable Care Act.  Yet, the word 'penalties' also seems to keep entering the conversation.  It is my hope that the 'navigators' won't be aided by the IRS and their kindly selective stereotyping.  And hopefully they won't be going door-to-door like the SA and Gestapo agents of the Nazi regime, as was the case during World War II.

All these things did happen.  Persecution comes in many forms besides that of Christians, or of Jews during the Holocaust ...and though those concerns may not be believed by all, any early warning signs should be welcomed by all who'd want to prevent injustices and the worst of horrific evils.  Sadly, such warnings are often dismissed as mere fairy tales or conspiracy theories or plain & simple paranoia.  To all who don't believe in God, it may not stir up enough concern whether this vicious slander, persecution, or even horrific murdering is real or not.  And where then would the concern be to also enthusiastically seek out certain other concepts of 'truth', or any at all?  

Shallow & deep ...hot & cold ...bitter & sweet ...light & dark ...heaven & hell; it's hard to acknowledge the existence of one, without acknowledging the existence of the other.  I favor enlightening to warning ...but if no light is shed early, the warning becomes more a necessity.  

I feel it necessary to believe in Jesus.  There has to be a beginning point.  And it so happens I'd like for us to join Him now by starting to believe, not only in ourselves, but in Him ... so we'll be able to be with Him when it all ends.