Why I Loooooooooooove Oklahoma

Posted under Christianity, Oklahoma, Real Estate

Before I say anything else, I admit that this post is a blatant ad to try to get you California folks to come out to Oklahoma. This is my favorite place in the world, not only for what it is today, but for its potential.

Large cities’ populations have been shrinking for years. Plug San Francisco into City-Data.com and see for yourself. People are leaving because taxes are high and houses are expensive. City cores are crowded, dirty, and ridden with crime. People in suburbs have to fight traffic every day and spend a lot of money on gas.

Immigration and birth rates are not high enough to replace the people who are leaving. Big cities discourage people from having families. Liberal values lead to high abortion rates. The high cost of living means that people have to spend more time in school to earn enough to have kids, and when they do, their budgets don’t allow them to have more than a few.

In contrast, the people who live in Oklahoma City place a strong emphasis on family values, and the cost of living is low enough that people can have lots of kids even if only one of the parents is working. The low cost of living and business-friendly environment are starting to attract a lot of people who used to live on the East and West coasts. Try calling a title company in Oklahoma City. Ask what state is sending the most people out here. Hint: It starts with C and ends with A.

I’m optimistic about the future growth of Christianity. We can create a Christian-friendly environment in Oklahoma City before the masses flood out here. I pray that Christians will have some foresight and move to the cutting edge of historical change.

TEN REASONS WHY I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE OKLAHOMA CITY

10. THIS PLACE IS BEAUTIFUL.

All the pictures I’ve posted on this site were taken either in Oklahoma City or the nearby suburb Norman. Notice how much open space there is. Oklahoma City is about the size of the entire San Francisco East Bay, while the population is only about two-thirds that of the city of San Francisco.

There’s lots of room for lovely plants and animals, but you can find skyscrapers if you want to live near them. Check out the Quail Springs shopping mall and movie theater. There’s something here for everybody.

9. MILD WEATHER

Take a look this climate data:

While Oklahoma City has high temperatures in the summer, it really doesn’t feel too bad. When I moved to this area in August, I was always surprised to see the thermometor read 85 to 95 deg F when the air felt ten degrees cooler. Our body temperature is usually higher than the temperature of the outside air, and Oklahoma’s powerful summer winds blow that body heat away.

October and November feel a lot like the California coast. The clean, moist lake air at 65 to 85 degrees reminds me of Santa Cruz.

The winters are normally supposed to be mild. You’ll notice from the weather data that Oklahoma gets less snowfall than the national average.

This winter was an exception. You’ve probably heard about the snowstorm that swept through half the country on November 29. That storm laid down more snow in one night than Oklahoma normally gets in an entire winter. The snowplow crews were taken by surprise and couldn’t clear the freeways, so most of the schools and work places were shut down on November 30.

Is this bad weather? Not if you look at the average. The day before the snowstorm, when I took the picture of the bluebird (now gone away), we had a high of 73 deg F. Two weeks later, the temperature is back up to the mid-60s.

Overall, the weather isn’t really that different from inland California’s. Think of Sacramento. Celeste, you would get your seasons without having to suffer extreme heat and cold. Ron, you would get your first chance to drive through the snow. Mark and Paul, go ahead and crash all of the Christian clubs out here. They need to be shell-shocked into action.

8. LOWER COST OF LIVING

Most people don’t want to move out of California. “I won’t be able to find a job that pays well.” That particular objection is not usually based on careful research.

A dollar can buy more in Oklahoma City than it can in San Francisco. The same money has more purchasing power. Here are some comparisons. (Notice that I’m using San Francisco suburbs rather than the city itself. Almost no one can afford to live in San Francisco without government-subsidized rent.)

State income tax (highest bracket):
California: 9.3%
Oklahoma: 7.0%
YOU SAVE 25%

Auto Insurance for six months (new driver):
San Bruno, CA: $1300
Oklahoma City: $450
YOU SAVE 65%

Airport parking per day:
Oakland, CA: $11
Oklahoma City: $4
YOU SAVE 64%

Rent for a 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom apartment per month (1200 square feet, no garage, middle-class area):
San Bruno: $1400
Oklahoma City: $700
YOU SAVE 50%

4-bedroom, 2-bathroom lakefront property (2300 square feet, 2-car garage):
Bay Area suburb: $2,000,000
Oklahoma City suburb: $200,000
YOU SAVE 90%

Four-unit rental property:
San Bruno: $1,200,000
Oklahoma City: $140,000
YOU SAVE 88%

Now let’s say you’re an immigrant who could choose any place in the country to lay down roots. You’re a hard worker. You’re smart, or you would never have chosen to move in the first place. If you went to Oklahoma City, your pay would be 40% lower than it would be in San Francisco. Where do you go?

7. GAS PRICES

Need I say more?

6. ASIANS! MEXICANS! AND THEIR FOOD!

Oklahoma City has an Asian district as well as a large Mexican area. There are some good restaurants, but that pales in comparison to what will be built over this lot:

A Chinese businessman is going to tear down the buildings that are there now and build (another) Asian shopping center. Sounds just like home.

5. RUSH HOUR

A snapshot of rush hour traffic on Highway 9 (Norman, OK):

Norman’s Wal-Mart at rush hour:

If I want to get home from central Oklahoma City to Norman at 5pm, I take Highway 235 south, 40 east, and Sooner Road south. No traffic wars -> more concentration for Doug Wilson’s tapes. Average speed: 60 mph.

Late at night or on Sundays, I take Highways 35 and 9, a more direct route. Average speed: 70mph.

I boarded a plane today: Oklahoma City to Oakland, CA. Total time waiting in airport lines: Two minutes. Total time from parking lot to gate: fifteen minutes. Only 20% of plane’s seats were filled. I doubt if the airport will be as pleasant on the return trip.

Still want to live in the Bay Area?

4. FRIENDLY FOLKS

This places GLOWS with hospitality. Business owners, waiters, and sometimes retail workers give customers shining smiles. People help each other and chat in the grocery store. Little old ladies actually let me walk them across the street. Women are appreciative when I open the door for them. The people at the national bank actually know my name.

The airplane pilot was joking around as she made intercom announcements during her flight today. Really friendly and lots of fun!

3. REAL ESTATE

Take a look at the rental property data I gave you in #8 above. Note that an Oklahoma house costs about 10% of the price of a California house, but the rent is half of California’s rent.

This means that the ratio of rent to property value is five times as high in Oklahoma as it is in California. One million dollars of property will collect five times the rent in Oklahoma as it would in California.

I recently bought a house to live in. It’s actually a four-unit apartment building. I plan to live in one of the units and rent the other three out. You can tell from the pictures that the property still needs some repair work but definitely has potential.

I work with Bencorp Finance. We can help you buy Oklahoma property out of state.

2. MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES

Since I’m a theonomist, I believe God will use Christians to change the world one person at a time. I’ve found only one Reformed church that lives consistently with that vision: Our Lord’s Community Church. One of the pastors, Keith Adams, has done a great job convincing people that they can make a difference. In the young adults’ group, Megan Parker lives this vision out in an awesome way. Come and meet them. You’ll see what I mean.

What does Oklahoma City need? The same thing California needs, but for different reasons. People in Oklahoma need Christ, and Christians need to be trained to interact with every aspect of the culture. Because the place is spiritually and economically poised for enormous growth, the burden I feel is that much greater.

San Francisco is destroying itself anyway, as the people’s moral and political views are causing the city’s population to shrink. The suburbs will follow as the prices of gas and other commodities rise. Its culture might not survive the coming year of recession and decades of high inflation. San Francisco is a dying city.

Come to Oklahoma City. Our cultural legacy could be felt for centuries to come. We need your help.

1. FAMILY FRIENDLY

Oklahoma is infamous for having the highest divorce rate in the country. Most people who cite that statistic don’t mention another: Almost everyone in Oklahoma is married. The divorce rate is measured per thousand people, but many more people in that thousand are married in Oklahoma as compared to, say, California.

This makes a huge difference in interpreting that statistic. In California, people just jump into bed with one another. That’s not marriage, nor should it be called marriage. At least people in Oklahoma make a lifelong commitment first, even if that commitment often fails.

Ironically, the family-friendliness of Oklahoma makes its problems with sexual immorality more visible.

Out here, many women want to have kids and enjoy the privilege of raising them 24-7. The cost of living is low enough that the husband’s salary is often enough to support a large family.

Real estate is cheap enough that most families can buy rental properties and use the cash flow to gradually replace the husband’s income. His free time could be used for ministry. Our combined efforts would have a large effect on Oklahoma’s culture. Unfortunately, most Christians don’t do this. We just don’t think big enough.

I wouldn’t mind getting married and spending the rest of my life out here. I can always fly back to California to visit. After living in Oklahoma City for two months, I can say that there is no significant culture shock…

OTHER than the fact that almost everyone is married. I honestly feel a bit out of place. Of course, my role as a Christian requires that I adjust to their culture, and I don’t mind doing that. This particular problem involves more than just a cultural adjustment. It’s a reminder to me of my dream. I want to have enough passive income to support a family and have lots of ministry at the same time. I’ve chosen the income and the ministry, and I had to move to Oklahoma to do it. Is it possible that the move will keep me from having the rest of my dream?

I asked this question to Ruth yesterday when I met with her and her husband for lunch. I knew what she was going to say, but it was somehow really comforting when she said it. I taught it to my 7G Bible class for a whole year. Why is it that I don’t quite believe it myself?

“Trust God. Serve Him.”

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Looking back You know You had to bring me through
all that I was so afraid of
Though I questioned the sky, now I see why
Had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view
Looking back, I see the lead of love. (Caedmon’s Call - Lead of Love)