How much?

Have you purchased any gas lately? (In case you are confused I am speaking of the kind that you put in the fuel tank of your vehicle.) I am in awe of the price. Maybe being Amish has it's benefits. I had to come to a larger town today and planned on buying fuel there given how high it was in my little town. The price is generally higher in our town than some of the larger towns around us. When I got here (I am in a coffee shop typing this at the moment.) the price was higher here than at home and in the past couple of hours while in town the price went up again. I drive a large older car, no car payments and loads of room, which means a bigger gas tank. So to fill it up is now like laying out grocery money for the week.

I am going to drive back home and hope our that one station hasn't jumped their prices yet. At this point what do I have to lose? I am already going to spend a fortune, so why not take the chance. I think it is time to buy a bicycle and use it around our town. I could get in better shape and maybe save some money. At the current gas prices I figure the price a very good bike would be about a tank and a half of gas.

Now I know it is not the gas stations fault, and I don't desire to get into a discussion about whose fault it is, but these prices are going to have an impact on all of us and our churches. Planned trips for the church are now going to cost more and some people are going to think twice about driving to church if they live very far from the church they attend. Pastors are going to be hit with this cost, and I am sure our parishioners (did I spell that correctly?) will not accept us not coming to the hospital for example because gas is too high. If the church pays a pastor's mileage their budget is going up a lot, or the pastor will blow through his allotment well before the end of the year.

Okay, enough venting, I don't like to whine, at least I don't like to whine often, okay I try not to whine every single day.

Here's hoping you are still able to what you need to do and that you are able to find some positive ways to save some miles this summer. Here's hoping that we can all help those who will really be pinched by gas increases. Here's hoping my next blog is more positive.