Inspired by the book, "7" by Jen Hatmaker, I am taking 7 weeks to reduce, simplify, and focus my heart and mind on what truly matters-- serving God and neighbor.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Technology is fine...
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
It does matter-
So, I was at a high school choir concert last week. There was a choir of 10 young men. Their "apparel" was white shirts, black pants, and ties. I couldn't help but notice that one of the boys didn't have a tie... and a couple other boys had very old ties that were more for a 7-year old than a 10th grader. I got to thinking: This group needs ties. Now, my first thought was to buy new ties... then I thought maybe send a gift card so they could pick out their own ties. Then my Bible Study friends came into the picture---
I mentioned this on Monday about wanting to send ties to these young men. Right away, each person said, I would have some ties you could send! And yesterday-- 20 ties were in my office! I am expecting to get more today! I am so excited! I will send them to the school. The choir can take what they need-- but I am sure there are more young men that can use the ties. For interviews, family occasions, etc. They aren't used a lot, so for a family who is counting every penny, a tie might be a difficult thing to spend money on... so I hope that ALL these ties will find great homes (necks-ha!) and make these boys feel like the young men that they are!
Then today, coming in, someone at church asked me about the ties. I told her what I was doing, and she responded with-- "They probably don't care what they look like." Ugh. This statement hit me like a ton of bricks. 1. Because I found it borderline offensive... and 2. Because I am sure that I have said something like that before--
It made me think about two things.
First, when we give, are we giving the BEST we have? Or are we giving "discards?"
Second, it does matter! People do care what they look like-- all people care. So, as I give to others, I pray that I will be caring and conscious-- sending only things that will make someone else feel special and beautiful (or in the case of the ties- handsome).
Because it does matter.
SO, what about media?!?
A month would be nice.
1. I would like to give away 210 things...
2. I would just like more TIME!
Time to-
go through my stuff
give it to someone through relationship.
Jen Hatmaker writes, "Donating everything through a third party removes the relationsl magic when one human connects with another." She shared a quote about the church-- that we rich Christians do not know the poor. And it went on to say that when we truly see poverty... when we truly know the poor...Our riches will have no meaning, and poverty will come to an end (by Shane Claiborne. Which also wrote this piece in Esquire that is awesome.)
But I am not sure how to do this! My one idea was to set up a shop at Trinity at the same time as "Meals of Hope." Meals of Hope is an awesome outreach program that serves meals on Sunday nights to anyone who comes. My obstacles:
1. I have not been to Meals of Hope (yes, this is one of my shames from my 6 months at Trinity)
Therefore--I have no relationship--with the people or the volunteers. Okay- so this is a definite priority.
2. I don't have the "power" to make this happen. I can't just set up a shop and market it and invite people in... there are "steps" I need to go through... and I am a little apprehensive in starting that conversation.
So-- here is the plan. All of this to say this next week is going to be double duty-- and a little more heavy on the possessions... and a little lighter on the media. More about that later.
Right now- I need to figure out a way to account for, get rid of, and change my mindset about STUFF.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Week Three: Possessions
So, here is what I need to do:
1. Re-read this chapter of the book
2. Count my stuff- it will be helpful to have a true account of all the things I have
3. Get rid of at least 49 items (7 items / 7 days)
4. Not buy any possessions
5. Reflect on stuff... by this I mean, really think about what I need; what I have and how one side is WAY bigger than the other. What does this mean for me? Am I too focused on my stuff? I have always been a shopper... and an impulse buyer. It's a habit. I need to change it.
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also..." Matt. 6:21
This was it...
Here is what I wore last week.
Jeans-1
Black pants- 1
Black Turtleneck- 1
Gray sweater- 1
Black sweater- 1
Vest- 1
Black shoes- 1 pair
Also, I added in one black scarf on a few cold days...
Week Two thoughts...
It was wear 7 articles of clothing. Okay, I will admit, I have 50 times more clothes than I need. I could survive with 7 articles of clothing... and easily survive with 14. So, why so many clothes?
What I was most looking forward to for this week was counting my clothes. And, unfortunately, I didn't do that yet-- but I will. It still seems fitting moving into this week, Week 3- possessions.
I have a closet full of clothes in Owatonna. But, what is worse that that? I have a closet full of clothes (maybe two) in Adams, ND! AND I gave away at least 6 large bags of clothes to the Salvation Army before we moved. Too much. Way too much.
I have at least 6 long sleeve black t-shirts. All exactly the same. REALLY?!? And where did I find myself in Target last week? Checking out the long sleeve t-shirts!! When I wear them, people don't even see them-- I wear them under stuff. So, I could have one. ONE.
So, this weekend is busy- my mom is coming, we are going to a funeral, I am preaching, etc. So, I am planning to take true account of my "possessions," including my clothes, on Monday.
In the meantime... week three begins.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Reconciliation
Today, Ash Wednesday, is the first day of Lent. In some traditions people will go to church and get ashes smeared onto their forehead as the minister says, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This act is humbling and grounding. It is a way of remembering that God created you from dust, and you will return to the dust, thus returning to God.
This is a day of reconciliation, of being joined back together with God, of being reunited with the one who made you. This is a day of intentionally stopping to remember that we are made in the image of God and we are to treat others as the image of God. This is a day of consciously living in the knowledge that God made us, that Jesus came among us as servant that we might know God better, and that God continues to live among us as the Holy Spirit. Today is a day of reconciliation and being reunited. Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
It is from d365.org. I guess it is a site that does devotionals everyday... cool.
I love the image that God created me (Dust)... and I will return to God (Dust). In the meantime, here on earth, I am given great opportunities to serve God. Not that what I do has to be so great... but if I can stay focused not only on God's call... but on reconciliation, I can be "freed" in a sense. Freed to screw up- to eat chips when I am supposed to be eating a pear- but to have my heart focused on God and serving him and his people.
Okay- enough of that- here is the benediction from the same site- I need this on a post-it that I can see everyday:
Move now into the broken world.
Travel with an intense determination
To find your way into healing,
To take the message of reconciliation
With you, Within you,
For everyone.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Still on the week of food...
Friday, February 17, 2012
Food, Glorious Food
When I feel I "need something," an avocado or hard boiled egg just isn't going to do it. I think I need candy or a brownie... it wasn't until now, when I am not eating "just anything" that I realized that I too often eat "just anything."
And then it happened... a woman at church was serving brownies and ice cream- and I had some. Which made me fall off the seven wagon and right onto the "14 train." By this I mean, supper last night was full of non-seven foods. Well, I shouldn't say full- I had avocado and spinach... but there was also shredded cheese and taco soup.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Week one; Day two
One of the things we were talking about was how many choices we have! I guess this seems like a no-brainer, but yesterday, walking into the grocery store only looking for seven things, it becomes so apparent that we have an abundance (an insane EXCESS) of choices. Even in my seven things: I had the choices between three kinds of pears; two kinds of avocados... and an ABUNDANCE of ways to buy chicken! This is a blessing, indeed. BUT...
But, I can't help but think that I also must be aware of this EXCESS. I can easily be convinced that I NEED more than I do... I tell myself, "it really isn't that much in comparison to all that I could have." But it is still too much. Way too much.
When Jesus talks about being the Good Shepherd (John 10) he says, "I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly." Jesus doesn't want us to have an abundance of stuff, he has come so we have an abundance of LIFE. And you can't buy that at the Hy-vee.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Coffee.
Week 1; Day 1
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Two more days...
Enough with the obscene excess while the rest of the world is burning down outside our windows. Enough with the waste as 25,000 people die today of hunger, while I throw away another pound of food we didn’t get around to eating. Enough with the debt, the spending, the amassing, the irresponsibility, the indulgence, the fake discipleship, the rat race, the hamster wheel, the power and positioning and posturing with a hunger still for more, more, more, all the while pretending to follow a Jesus who didn’t even have a place to lay his head.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
The 7 Plan
**Underthings don't count
Should pajamas?!?