Conversations...

Another kid is on the way. It's official. I cannot deny it. I don't really want to deny it, but even if I did, I wouldn't. I drive a 1987 VW golf named Shirley. I used to drive a subaru wagon, which was pretty cool. We sold it & the explorer in order to get a nicer, safer, newer car for Jessica & baby todd. Enter the Pilot. Jessica loves it & I have no complaints. Shirley was my replacement. Shirley is great. She is old, but is barely broken in. 30,000 miles, all original & I even have the dealer's sticker in the glovebox. She's a smaller car & with baby todd, it's tight, in the cramped way. A few months back, Jessica had to drive the car one night. A large truck pulled up next to her & a few things came to her mind: 1- Shirley is tiny. 2- Shirley does not have airbags, child safety locks (for the carseat), side impact door beams, etc... She told me she liked the car but thought that I should get/deserve a "newer" car that is safer. I somewhat agreed. I'd like to keep her, but I need the money for a down payment. After much talk, I listed Shirley on a VW website for $5000. Sounds crazy, right? This is the car that Isaiah S. laughs at & tells me that my car is "funny." Not a good thing to be called funny by Isaiah... Less than 2 hours on the site I was contacted. The guy is interested. Hopefully it sells.

Anyway, I've been looking at Shawn's favorite website...craigslist. Everyday, 3 times a day, to see what cars are out there & how much $$$ I'd have to spend to get one. I like looking but haven't found "the car."

Here is a list of cars that I've seen & liked = I would buy them & drive them:
Toyota FJ Cruiser, 4runner, newer Rav4, highlander, Tundra
VW Passat wagon, toureg, Jetta
Honda Pilot, newer CRV
Ford F150, F250 diesel

I was looking today & saw a BMW that was sweet. AWD, leather, power everything, low miles. You get the picture. I was talking to someone today who came in to pick up their child up from the preschool & I told them about the car. We got talking. They smiled, laughed & said, dude if you roll up here in a BMW, there would be people who'd throw a fit. I was intrigued. A few things that we discussed:
-Their father (not a pastor or church employee) experienced something similar with people when he bought a Mercedes. A Mercedes that was cheaper than a new Kia. He sold the car after a year.
-It doesn't matter how much it costs, it's a BMW & that means something to people
-People would gossip & be pissed that a "pastor" drove a BMW, thinking "that's where my tithe is going" & other misc negative thoughts

This kind've blindsided me a bit. I say kind've because I've heard similar stories of pastors & how people have reacted to their cars/houses/clothes/hot tubs/anything that is nice. I know of pastors who have gone out of their way to live an impoverished lifestyle in order to avoid this conflict. Are there expectations that pastors/church employees shouldn't drive nice cars? Live in nice houses? Have nice things? Are my personal finances & how my family chooses to spend money under scrutiny because we are paid by a church/out of the tithe?

What would be insinuated by the gossip, the looks, the thoughts? That somehow I'd done something wrong? Are we serious? Are these expectations real? What are your thoughts?