A MEMORABLE CADILLAC CONVERTIBLE

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:" (Matthew 6:19-20)

I recently heard a highly respected professor from an ivy league school on a weekend morning radio program giving advice about saving for college and about not spending money foolishly. Ironically, even this man admitted to spending too much money on gadgets and having to have the latest and best of this and that which comes out on the market. This man, hailed as an expert financial adviser admitted that he lacked a certain amount of discipline when it comes to buying what many of us would call "adult toys". I couldn't help but wonder if he couldn't control his spending, how were the rest of us supposed to control our spending?! Our society is so enamored with having to have the latest and newest and best computer or car or television set or (especially) smart phone. What foolish priorities we have!

Early this morning, I was driving along Route 2 westbound in the Acton, Massachusetts area. On this drive, I saw a memorable Cadillac convertible. I am not certain of the model year, but I would guess the Cadillac was either a 1960, 1961, or 1962 model. I know it was not a 1959. The Cadillac I saw had tail fins, but the 1959 Cadillac had giant tail fins- the largest tail fins ever on an American car! No, it wasn't a '59. Frankly, I can barely tell the makes of any cars built since 1985, let alone the model year designations. To me, the cars from 1985 to today are often very generic and unexciting. So many years, makes, and models look bland and alike. The cars from about 1949 to about 1972 are from a golden age of styling when each year and make was a distinct work of art and craftsmanship. I'm one of those people who likes to go to car shows and "oooh and aaah" at the beautiful restored automobiles. This early '60s Cadillac convertible was certainly memorable. It was memorable for the wrong reasons, however! The car was being transported on a flatbed truck. The Cadillac convertible looked terrible! The car was painted a nasty green color- sort of a combination of emerald green and forest green. It was not a professional paint job- it looked like it was done by a 7-year-old! The roof was down. In fact, I think the roof was off! The windshield was smashed. It looked like somebody had hit it with a sledgehammer. The car was truly a hunk of junk. I'm not sure where it was being transported to. My late father would have said about it, "I wouldn't take it if you gave it to me!" Well, I wouldn't either!

Even as a little boy, I noticed cars. Had I seen that car on the road fifty years ago, in 1963, it probably would have been a sharp looking, shiny, impressive and luxurious Cadillac convertible. I would have been impressed to see it. My father never would have brought a car like that home for us to own. We really could not have afforded it. If he had, however, we'd probably have been drooling over it, and been begging to have a ride in the car with the top down. How ironic that today that car is a hunk of junk that almost no one would want. I suppose someone might buy it to try to restore it, but he or she would have my sympathy! That would be a very long and very expensive proposition.

Yeah, I thought about that Cadillac today. It made such an impression that I don't think I'll ever forget it. It left me wondering why we chase after material things, and why we love material things, when one day they will just be junk! How much time and energy of ours is put into stuff that doesn't matter- and when it comes to God and eternity- so many people just don't care!

Yeah, I thought about that Cadillac today and I thought about what does and doesn't really matter.