I was just reading over the requirements for my colloquium class again, and I realized that I had been procrastinating. One of my blogs is supposed to be a "Why" project.... finding a subject and doing research and diving into it. It probably doesn't really count, but I have been thinking about this project a lot.... my musings just haven't made it to the computer screen.
I considered studying "normal" people my age. What makes them tick? What are their motivations? What do they do to help them with their stress and struggles? To be honest, I haven't had much dealing with normal college students before now. I used to go to a community college down in Georgia, and most of the people in my classes were non-traditional students. So was this a good project? Probably not. I mean, I have learned a bit about what students like and don't like, what motivates them, etc. But I don't know if this is a good topic to pick....
I considered doing my study on my new church. I just moved to the area, and just started to attend a church here. What do they believe? How do those beliefs affect their lives? Do their beliefs impact the community? Are they really willing to sacrifice to follow God's calling? How do they believe the local church fits into the worldwide Body of Christ? How do they deal with differences?
I have learned some about the church. They believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, fully God and yet fully man. They believe in salvation through grace alone, not by works. They believe in a literal heaven and a literal hell, and that while God doesn't want to put anyone in Hell, some people choose to go there to get away from Him. How do the beliefs affect their lives? Some of the church members devoted years of their lives to full time Christian work. Others believe in sincere hospitality and open their homes to anyone who wants to come over. Their beliefs have impacted the community through tutoring programs for students at Science Hill High School, as well as projects to collect shoes and Christmas gifts for children in orphanges overseas. A group from the church went to stores on Black Friday and gave away coffee and snacks to people who were lined up for door buster specials. That involved some sacrifice, since they had to get up at 4am! Community groups at the church (including the "poor" college age class!) are buying Christmas presents for families in our area who can't afford to buy gifts. I've also gotten to see how they deal with differences; there are some minor doctrinal disagreements in the church, but instead of splitting, the church came together to work through the issue (with much prayer and fasting). I was really impressed by the way they handled the situation.
I could go on more about church because it's something interesting to me. I've never been to a church like this before, and I really like it. I have a chance to learn more about the church in the next few months, and I'm excited about the possibilities for getting involved there.
Another subject I considered was dating. Just this fall I started dating. I had never been in a serious relationship with anyone before, and neither had my boyfriend. And we're not just dating for fun; in fact, most of the time we spend together is either with my family or his, sometimes doing work projects around the house. Not exactly what most people consider fun. But we're honestly exploring God's will for our lives. Our dating has a point: we're spending time together to see if God wants us to get married. So I considered writing about relationships; what does it mean to have a godly relationship? We both agree on virginity until marriage; but are there also other things we should do (or not do) to glorify God in our relationship? What does it mean to love another person the way Christ loved us? Or to submit to another person the way the Church is supposed to submit to Christ?
Well, you can see that I've done plenty of musing... unfortunately, I haven't documented any until now. I think that my new church is probably the best subject for my why project.... there's a lot of potential in any group of people. And it's not as personal as the relationship one! :-)
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Hmmmm.....
Have I really led such a mediocre life that I don't have a best or worst thing I have ever done? This assignment is supposed to be about the best and worst things we have ever done, and our motivations for those actions.
I'm afraid to mention the worst things I can think of, just because other people will say, "What a smug little goody two-shoes!" But let me remind all readers that stealing candy is as serious as the Enron execs stealing millions from the company. Sin is sin. Period. We don't punish the two offenses in the same way because the hurt they cause the world is not equal. But in God's book (literally), both are capital offenses. But I'm not on death row anymore; someone else had the ingenious plan to make a switch, just like in A Tale of Two Cities. Except this time the judge and executioner knew about, and endorsed, the substitution. Yeshua Ben-Yosef, not Sidney Carton, was the one who stepped in my shoes to face a death worse than the guillotine. But it was my misdeeds as much as anyone else's that put Jesus on the cross. All this to say that sin is sin, whether big or little, harmless or not.
One of the worst things I ever did was to totally ignore someone who needed my help in a time of serious illness.
My mom has Meniere's disease, which sometimes gives her bouts of vertigo. When she has a bad dizzy spell, she cannot turn her head without throwing up. Footsteps in the other end of the house can cause vibrations that send waves of nausea over her. One day several years ago, my brother and I were home with Mom when one of these spells hit. She threw up into a bucket on the way to her chair. She called feebly for us to come help. The dizziness was bad enough that she couldn't open her eyes or move at all. She asked us to take the bucket and empty it; it was making her more nauseated. So what did I do? Did I go an empty it like she'd done for me a hundred times in the past? No. I fought with my brother over who would do it. The noise only made Mom feel worse, of course, and the bucket was not getting any emptier. Finally, my brother took it and washed it out. We each got a lecture from Dad that evening about selfishness and ungratefulness. And boy, did I deserve it!
Selfishness is ugly. It is very ugly. I can't think of a single sin that doesn't spring out of selfishness and self-centeredness. And to be honest, a lot of things that I do that are good are done out of selfishness. I want to feel good about myself, and that's why I do them. Or I want other people to help me feel good about myself.
One of the nicest things I've done was just about a year or so ago. I was in a Dollar Tree store, buying some really cheap (3 for a dollar!) picture frames. The checkout clerk was a sad-looking man in his fifties, with unkempt hair straggling around his bald patches. I smiled and said hello, like I always do, and he immediately started in on a story about how he needed money. He said his hours at both Dollar Tree and Target had been cut back to where he was having a hard time making ends meet. In fact, he said that he didn't have enough food for his kids for the week. I didn't want to give him money; be "wise as serpents," after all. So I went out to my car without giving him anything except "have a nice day." Then I thought about it some more and decided to do something else. I went over to the grocery store and bought about a week's worth of supplies: peanut butter, jam, bread, Tuna Helper, Tuna, canned chicken, Chicken Helper, salad, beans, broccoli, and some potatoes, that kind of stuff. Then I headed back to the dollar store to give them to the guy. He hardly even acknowledged the gift. He said "thanks," nodded, and went back to what he was doing.
I was miffed. He hadn't even really said thank you! I had spent hard-earned cash and time on that, and that's all the thanks I get? Then God reminded me that if I'd done it for the praise, then I'd done it for the wrong reasons. I guess that's why we're not supposed to let one hand know that the other is giving something away.... because once the whole self becomes involved, it can get kinda self-ish. Look at what I'M giving, what I'M doing, where I'M volunteering.
I wonder if I've done anything really out of totally pure motives. As a Christian, I should be doing things for God's glory; I should be motivated to do good things to point people to him. But the "should" and the "does" are not usually the same.
I'll keep this updated, so if I think of anything better, or worse, than what I've posted here, it will appear.
I'm afraid to mention the worst things I can think of, just because other people will say, "What a smug little goody two-shoes!" But let me remind all readers that stealing candy is as serious as the Enron execs stealing millions from the company. Sin is sin. Period. We don't punish the two offenses in the same way because the hurt they cause the world is not equal. But in God's book (literally), both are capital offenses. But I'm not on death row anymore; someone else had the ingenious plan to make a switch, just like in A Tale of Two Cities. Except this time the judge and executioner knew about, and endorsed, the substitution. Yeshua Ben-Yosef, not Sidney Carton, was the one who stepped in my shoes to face a death worse than the guillotine. But it was my misdeeds as much as anyone else's that put Jesus on the cross. All this to say that sin is sin, whether big or little, harmless or not.
One of the worst things I ever did was to totally ignore someone who needed my help in a time of serious illness.
My mom has Meniere's disease, which sometimes gives her bouts of vertigo. When she has a bad dizzy spell, she cannot turn her head without throwing up. Footsteps in the other end of the house can cause vibrations that send waves of nausea over her. One day several years ago, my brother and I were home with Mom when one of these spells hit. She threw up into a bucket on the way to her chair. She called feebly for us to come help. The dizziness was bad enough that she couldn't open her eyes or move at all. She asked us to take the bucket and empty it; it was making her more nauseated. So what did I do? Did I go an empty it like she'd done for me a hundred times in the past? No. I fought with my brother over who would do it. The noise only made Mom feel worse, of course, and the bucket was not getting any emptier. Finally, my brother took it and washed it out. We each got a lecture from Dad that evening about selfishness and ungratefulness. And boy, did I deserve it!
Selfishness is ugly. It is very ugly. I can't think of a single sin that doesn't spring out of selfishness and self-centeredness. And to be honest, a lot of things that I do that are good are done out of selfishness. I want to feel good about myself, and that's why I do them. Or I want other people to help me feel good about myself.
One of the nicest things I've done was just about a year or so ago. I was in a Dollar Tree store, buying some really cheap (3 for a dollar!) picture frames. The checkout clerk was a sad-looking man in his fifties, with unkempt hair straggling around his bald patches. I smiled and said hello, like I always do, and he immediately started in on a story about how he needed money. He said his hours at both Dollar Tree and Target had been cut back to where he was having a hard time making ends meet. In fact, he said that he didn't have enough food for his kids for the week. I didn't want to give him money; be "wise as serpents," after all. So I went out to my car without giving him anything except "have a nice day." Then I thought about it some more and decided to do something else. I went over to the grocery store and bought about a week's worth of supplies: peanut butter, jam, bread, Tuna Helper, Tuna, canned chicken, Chicken Helper, salad, beans, broccoli, and some potatoes, that kind of stuff. Then I headed back to the dollar store to give them to the guy. He hardly even acknowledged the gift. He said "thanks," nodded, and went back to what he was doing.
I was miffed. He hadn't even really said thank you! I had spent hard-earned cash and time on that, and that's all the thanks I get? Then God reminded me that if I'd done it for the praise, then I'd done it for the wrong reasons. I guess that's why we're not supposed to let one hand know that the other is giving something away.... because once the whole self becomes involved, it can get kinda self-ish. Look at what I'M giving, what I'M doing, where I'M volunteering.
I wonder if I've done anything really out of totally pure motives. As a Christian, I should be doing things for God's glory; I should be motivated to do good things to point people to him. But the "should" and the "does" are not usually the same.
I'll keep this updated, so if I think of anything better, or worse, than what I've posted here, it will appear.
You can't change the world.
Surprised by my title? I don't really believe that. I know of a little old lady who lived in New Jersey who has had a greater lasting impact on the world than many political leaders. I also don't really believe a lot of the motivational blather we hear on TV and in movies. "Follow your dreams, and they will lead to great things." That doesn't work if your dreams are selfish dreams. Many of our ambitions and goals sound fine on the surface, but our underlying motivations are self-centered and egotistical.
So what do we need to change the world?
Here is what we need: convictions, and the reckless abandon to live by them. If you believe in something, don't just let it sit in your head; throw yourself, heart and soul, into acting on your principles. It doesn't do any good to have beliefs and ethics and morals if you don't DO anything about them. For example, a group of uneducated fisherman made such a stir in the ancient world that the "establishment" of the day said that they were "turning the world upside down." How? Because they believed that Jesus Christ had died a sacrificial, atoning death, and that he was raised from the dead by his own power. And then they all went back to their boats and tax collection booths and kept counting fish and counting denarii, and every once in a while they threw some alms to the poor who sat outside the Temple. No! They acted on their beliefs- they preached on street corners, in synagogues, and in the marketplaces. They were hauled into court, beaten, whipped, chained, and stoned, but they continued to act on their beliefs. Not just their dreams; I'm sure they dreamed of peace and solitude, maybe a quiet house by the sea where no one was trying to kill them. But they had something greater to follow than dreams: they had convictions.
My "impact the world" project stems from my conviction that God wants us to be his hands and feet in this world, not just his mouthpiece. And if someone reading this does not believe in God, he or she will probably admit that helping people in third world countries is a good thing.
People in other countries need fish [here I am using the "give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime" principle.]. In Africa, for example, people are starving. They need fish. So our government takes fish from everyone here (in taxes). Then they dump the fish at an o-fishal government fish receptacle in, say, Sierra Leone. This sounds wonderful; give away millions of fish for millions of people. But the government workers want some fish. So they each skim a few (hundred) off the top. And no one notices because they're all participating in taking fish. Pretty soon, there are only a couple of measly Perch left. Then by the time the paperwork is processed (with more workers demanding more fish to put the paperwork through), the one remaining fish in the receptacle has gone rotten. So they throw it away and say, "You horribly selfish rich country; you have lots of fish, and you didn't send us enough. Send more fish." And the UN and US send more fish, starting the whole cycle again. I could go on and on with the negative, but I won't. I'll skip to the "what if."
What if we didn't just give them fish, but taught them to fish? What if we didn't just teach them to fish, but we helped them to start fish hatcheries? And to start the industries to support the growing needs of the fish hatcheries? Why, within a few decades, the whole country would be industrialized. There would be more jobs, and more fish to go around the the common people. There would be better education so that the people would no longer elect fish-stealers to their government. Standards of living would rise, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Now doesn't that sound better?
My project (that I am trying to put together) is a fundraiser for World Vision's micro business programs. A complete explanation can be found at http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/appeals.nsf/stable/med_howmedworks . But a quick explanation is:
1.) Volunteer workers enter a country and set up a lending operation. 2.) Ordinary people with business ideas can get the ultra ultra low interest loans to start a business, plus advice on how to start up and run a business. 3.) With coaching, the business usually takes off pretty well, leading to business expansion.
That's basically micro business. The amazing thing is that these loans are made to the poorest of the poor who have no collateral at all, but 96% of loans are repaid on time! Some other interesting facts are that most loan recipients are women; most reported an increase in feelings of empowerment; and 80% reported improved family health (survey taken in East Africa).
Money donated to this cause is really the gift that keeps on giving; $200 (that's after processing for the sake of discussion) goes out in a loan to Mugabwe. He pays it back. Well, that money was donated to World Vision, so they recycle it. Iliwe gets the same $200 for her loan, then pays it back. Pearl gets the $200 next, and so on and so forth into infinity, or at least, into improved living standards and even industrialization.
Ok, so now we've got a conviction that something should be done. We have a good place to give money that will make a substantial impact on families and communities in the neediest of countries.
"I'm poor," says a college student "X" who will remain anonymous (partly for privacy, but mainly because X is based on every college student I have ever talked to in my life, including myself.... so "X" it will be).
X says this to me as she tries to dial up the right tune on her mp3 player. "I hardly have enough money for food," she says, stuffing her player down into her pocket and reaching for the laptop case beside her. "See?" she exclaims, turning out her pockets of her $50 jeans to reveal an Applebee's receipt and a quantity of pocket lint. "I just don't know how I could give anything without starving myself." To refresh her parched throat, she takes a sip of her McDonald's iced tea before taking a bite out of her supersized value meal burger. X chews thoughtfully for a while. We walk to her car after she finishes lunch. "I need to clean this out," she sighs, clearing out a space for her laptop case among the jumble of discarded Starbucks and Icee cups.......
Get the picture?
We have money. We do things with money. Now how many of those things do we need? We have 13,000 students at ETSU. Imagine if fewer than half decided to give up one fast food meal and have a sandwich instead for just one day. Average fast food meal is about five bucks. We could have $25,000 in just one day!
I want to challenge ETSU and Johnson City to save for a month. Just one month. Eat in a couple times instead of eating out. Switch from Starbucks to cheapo coffee for thirty days, or even for just three days a week. That right there is almost ten dollars a week! Instead of buying a candy bar, drink a glass of water. Hey, instead of bottled water, wash and refill from the tap.
There are hundreds of ways to save just a little bit of money every day. Of course, it is some inconvenience. Just imagine looking an African woman in the eye and saying, "Sure, I could have helped lift you from poverty. I could have helped feed your children....."
".....but it was just too inconvenient."
And with that kind of attitude, my title is correct. You can't change the world.
So what do we need to change the world?
Here is what we need: convictions, and the reckless abandon to live by them. If you believe in something, don't just let it sit in your head; throw yourself, heart and soul, into acting on your principles. It doesn't do any good to have beliefs and ethics and morals if you don't DO anything about them. For example, a group of uneducated fisherman made such a stir in the ancient world that the "establishment" of the day said that they were "turning the world upside down." How? Because they believed that Jesus Christ had died a sacrificial, atoning death, and that he was raised from the dead by his own power. And then they all went back to their boats and tax collection booths and kept counting fish and counting denarii, and every once in a while they threw some alms to the poor who sat outside the Temple. No! They acted on their beliefs- they preached on street corners, in synagogues, and in the marketplaces. They were hauled into court, beaten, whipped, chained, and stoned, but they continued to act on their beliefs. Not just their dreams; I'm sure they dreamed of peace and solitude, maybe a quiet house by the sea where no one was trying to kill them. But they had something greater to follow than dreams: they had convictions.
My "impact the world" project stems from my conviction that God wants us to be his hands and feet in this world, not just his mouthpiece. And if someone reading this does not believe in God, he or she will probably admit that helping people in third world countries is a good thing.
People in other countries need fish [here I am using the "give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime" principle.]. In Africa, for example, people are starving. They need fish. So our government takes fish from everyone here (in taxes). Then they dump the fish at an o-fishal government fish receptacle in, say, Sierra Leone. This sounds wonderful; give away millions of fish for millions of people. But the government workers want some fish. So they each skim a few (hundred) off the top. And no one notices because they're all participating in taking fish. Pretty soon, there are only a couple of measly Perch left. Then by the time the paperwork is processed (with more workers demanding more fish to put the paperwork through), the one remaining fish in the receptacle has gone rotten. So they throw it away and say, "You horribly selfish rich country; you have lots of fish, and you didn't send us enough. Send more fish." And the UN and US send more fish, starting the whole cycle again. I could go on and on with the negative, but I won't. I'll skip to the "what if."
What if we didn't just give them fish, but taught them to fish? What if we didn't just teach them to fish, but we helped them to start fish hatcheries? And to start the industries to support the growing needs of the fish hatcheries? Why, within a few decades, the whole country would be industrialized. There would be more jobs, and more fish to go around the the common people. There would be better education so that the people would no longer elect fish-stealers to their government. Standards of living would rise, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Now doesn't that sound better?
My project (that I am trying to put together) is a fundraiser for World Vision's micro business programs. A complete explanation can be found at http://www.worldvision.org/worldvision/appeals.nsf/stable/med_howmedworks . But a quick explanation is:
1.) Volunteer workers enter a country and set up a lending operation. 2.) Ordinary people with business ideas can get the ultra ultra low interest loans to start a business, plus advice on how to start up and run a business. 3.) With coaching, the business usually takes off pretty well, leading to business expansion.
That's basically micro business. The amazing thing is that these loans are made to the poorest of the poor who have no collateral at all, but 96% of loans are repaid on time! Some other interesting facts are that most loan recipients are women; most reported an increase in feelings of empowerment; and 80% reported improved family health (survey taken in East Africa).
Money donated to this cause is really the gift that keeps on giving; $200 (that's after processing for the sake of discussion) goes out in a loan to Mugabwe. He pays it back. Well, that money was donated to World Vision, so they recycle it. Iliwe gets the same $200 for her loan, then pays it back. Pearl gets the $200 next, and so on and so forth into infinity, or at least, into improved living standards and even industrialization.
Ok, so now we've got a conviction that something should be done. We have a good place to give money that will make a substantial impact on families and communities in the neediest of countries.
"I'm poor," says a college student "X" who will remain anonymous (partly for privacy, but mainly because X is based on every college student I have ever talked to in my life, including myself.... so "X" it will be).
X says this to me as she tries to dial up the right tune on her mp3 player. "I hardly have enough money for food," she says, stuffing her player down into her pocket and reaching for the laptop case beside her. "See?" she exclaims, turning out her pockets of her $50 jeans to reveal an Applebee's receipt and a quantity of pocket lint. "I just don't know how I could give anything without starving myself." To refresh her parched throat, she takes a sip of her McDonald's iced tea before taking a bite out of her supersized value meal burger. X chews thoughtfully for a while. We walk to her car after she finishes lunch. "I need to clean this out," she sighs, clearing out a space for her laptop case among the jumble of discarded Starbucks and Icee cups.......
Get the picture?
We have money. We do things with money. Now how many of those things do we need? We have 13,000 students at ETSU. Imagine if fewer than half decided to give up one fast food meal and have a sandwich instead for just one day. Average fast food meal is about five bucks. We could have $25,000 in just one day!
I want to challenge ETSU and Johnson City to save for a month. Just one month. Eat in a couple times instead of eating out. Switch from Starbucks to cheapo coffee for thirty days, or even for just three days a week. That right there is almost ten dollars a week! Instead of buying a candy bar, drink a glass of water. Hey, instead of bottled water, wash and refill from the tap.
There are hundreds of ways to save just a little bit of money every day. Of course, it is some inconvenience. Just imagine looking an African woman in the eye and saying, "Sure, I could have helped lift you from poverty. I could have helped feed your children....."
".....but it was just too inconvenient."
And with that kind of attitude, my title is correct. You can't change the world.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Hello, self, pleased to meet you
to grammar freaks--mostly Mom and Aunt Crystal :-) [WARNING: This blog contains some serious grammatical errors for the sake of fancy. I KNOW they are errors, so you don't need to tell me... Just think of Me, Myself, and I as being different people. Maybe I'll even capitalize things to help the idea along.]
This is a transcript of a meeting between me and myself. Or, should I say between myself and I? I think the second way is more correct.
One thing the assignment for this blog mentioned was self ten years ago. Well, ten years ago, I didn't know myself. I was climbing trees, playing soccer, writing 4-H speeches, and getting used to wearing my new glasses. My ten-year-old self probably would think it very boring to meet with someone so OLD as I, and would be rather bored. So I won't bore Myself with that-- I'll let Myself go run outside and have fun; after all, childhood doesn't last very long, and Myself should have time to enjoy it.
So, in my quest to fulfill my assignment, I shall search for Me. I think, at age fourteen, Me would be more interested in a conversation. With one brother newly married and another heading off to college, adulthood would seem much more interesting to Me. And, as I step back into the past, there are some decisions for Me to make soon. Hope you can follow along.....
The first thing I notice, when looking at Me, is a little black smudge. Then I remember that my brother's wedding, just recently passed, was what inspired Me to start wearing makeup (just mascara, though). Mom hadn't told Me yet how to apply makeup without making a mess, so everyone who saw Me saw those smudges. Two weeks of smudges later, and Dad asked Me, "Are you wearing makeup? [insert my laugh here] What? It's not like you've been wearing it for weeks or anything!" [insert even louder laughter here--poor Daddy!]
I have surprised Me. She's glad to see that I have straighter teeth, a cute haircut, and have finally grown into my weight. She also thinks that I am crazy.
"That's such a waste!" she says. "If you want to be poor and miserable, that's your problem."
I cringe; I should have remembered how Me responded to this question before.
You see, I plan to go to school, become a nurse, then go somewhere else as a missionary. And make no money. Who knows, maybe live in a remote village somewhere like my Aunt Karen. Those are my plans now. But at fourteen, everything looked different.
The American Dream belonged to Me. She wanted to go to school, work a few years to make a lot of money, then settle down with a family. She wanted a big house with nice furniture. Clothes were very important to Me; she had been discovering that clothes, and having money to buy certain kinds of clothes, both affect how people viewed her. A resolution followed: dorky clothes would never again be worn by Me. She wanted to have the money to buy anything she wanted. Oh, yes, give some to the church, too, but it was all about Me. Her time as a missionary kid was enough sacrifice made; it was time to go for the moola.
Of course I know that money doesn't mean everything. But for Me, just coming to have a broader understanding of the world, money was the ticket to acceptance; and she never wanted to be rejected again. Money was becoming the focus of her security. That was bad.
Thankfully, there was a friend, a good friend, who wanted better for Me. In fact, He wanted the best for me. And He started showing Me how wrong her philosophies were. At the same time, He planted a seed in her mind of a better way...... beginning with giving up a year between high school and college to serve on the MV Logos II, a vessel that seeks to bring Knowledge, Help, and Hope to people all over the world.
For months, the response was, "NOT Me; let someone else go."
But He wouldn't let up; my friend kept talking to me about it, showing me how it was possible with His help. Finally the breaking point came. "Okay, I'll go. Send Me."
That decision made Me who I am now. My friend (so much more than friend, He's Saviour, God-Who Sees Me, Redeemer, Rock, Mighty One, the Lord-Who-Provides) taught me many things through my experiences. I have learned about different cultures (that happens when you live with people from 50 different countries). I have learned about poverty (a ten day trip into Sierra Leone helped with that). And I have a different perspective on what is important, and what sacrifice really is.
First off, money is not mine. I may make money, but God gave me a way to make money, so it all belongs to God anyway. So the question is not "would I spend fifty bucks of my money on that," but rather "would I spend fifty bucks of God's money on that?" There's nothing wrong with having a big house if you NEED a big house; especially if you've dedicated it to hospitality ministry. But the issue is that if you don't need something, or if you don't think God would want His money spent that way, then do without.
That's all well and good (or so Me used to say), but then you're miserable. But I'm not. I don't think I will be, either. Because once you give all your stuff (money included) to God, then He takes care of it; I don't have to worry about it anymore. And when I am living in submission to God, my attitudes are subject to His, which means that I can enjoy life to the fullest without all this extra stuff. After all, Jesus had nothing of material value. He had all the power, authority, and might in the universe to do whatever He wanted, but He didn't use it to get stuff. He had nothing we would consider of value, except for one thing: LIFE. He brought Life more abundant! And He did it without the latest car, the newest tunes, and the handiest gadgets. So if God Himself didn't need "stuff" to accomplish the greatest work since creation, why do we lust after material goods for our fleeting lives here?
So, that's something I have learned--and why Me would think I'm crazy. But maybe it's the world that's crazy, not I.....
This is a transcript of a meeting between me and myself. Or, should I say between myself and I? I think the second way is more correct.
One thing the assignment for this blog mentioned was self ten years ago. Well, ten years ago, I didn't know myself. I was climbing trees, playing soccer, writing 4-H speeches, and getting used to wearing my new glasses. My ten-year-old self probably would think it very boring to meet with someone so OLD as I, and would be rather bored. So I won't bore Myself with that-- I'll let Myself go run outside and have fun; after all, childhood doesn't last very long, and Myself should have time to enjoy it.
So, in my quest to fulfill my assignment, I shall search for Me. I think, at age fourteen, Me would be more interested in a conversation. With one brother newly married and another heading off to college, adulthood would seem much more interesting to Me. And, as I step back into the past, there are some decisions for Me to make soon. Hope you can follow along.....
The first thing I notice, when looking at Me, is a little black smudge. Then I remember that my brother's wedding, just recently passed, was what inspired Me to start wearing makeup (just mascara, though). Mom hadn't told Me yet how to apply makeup without making a mess, so everyone who saw Me saw those smudges. Two weeks of smudges later, and Dad asked Me, "Are you wearing makeup? [insert my laugh here] What? It's not like you've been wearing it for weeks or anything!" [insert even louder laughter here--poor Daddy!]
I have surprised Me. She's glad to see that I have straighter teeth, a cute haircut, and have finally grown into my weight. She also thinks that I am crazy.
"That's such a waste!" she says. "If you want to be poor and miserable, that's your problem."
I cringe; I should have remembered how Me responded to this question before.
You see, I plan to go to school, become a nurse, then go somewhere else as a missionary. And make no money. Who knows, maybe live in a remote village somewhere like my Aunt Karen. Those are my plans now. But at fourteen, everything looked different.
The American Dream belonged to Me. She wanted to go to school, work a few years to make a lot of money, then settle down with a family. She wanted a big house with nice furniture. Clothes were very important to Me; she had been discovering that clothes, and having money to buy certain kinds of clothes, both affect how people viewed her. A resolution followed: dorky clothes would never again be worn by Me. She wanted to have the money to buy anything she wanted. Oh, yes, give some to the church, too, but it was all about Me. Her time as a missionary kid was enough sacrifice made; it was time to go for the moola.
Of course I know that money doesn't mean everything. But for Me, just coming to have a broader understanding of the world, money was the ticket to acceptance; and she never wanted to be rejected again. Money was becoming the focus of her security. That was bad.
Thankfully, there was a friend, a good friend, who wanted better for Me. In fact, He wanted the best for me. And He started showing Me how wrong her philosophies were. At the same time, He planted a seed in her mind of a better way...... beginning with giving up a year between high school and college to serve on the MV Logos II, a vessel that seeks to bring Knowledge, Help, and Hope to people all over the world.
For months, the response was, "NOT Me; let someone else go."
But He wouldn't let up; my friend kept talking to me about it, showing me how it was possible with His help. Finally the breaking point came. "Okay, I'll go. Send Me."
That decision made Me who I am now. My friend (so much more than friend, He's Saviour, God-Who Sees Me, Redeemer, Rock, Mighty One, the Lord-Who-Provides) taught me many things through my experiences. I have learned about different cultures (that happens when you live with people from 50 different countries). I have learned about poverty (a ten day trip into Sierra Leone helped with that). And I have a different perspective on what is important, and what sacrifice really is.
First off, money is not mine. I may make money, but God gave me a way to make money, so it all belongs to God anyway. So the question is not "would I spend fifty bucks of my money on that," but rather "would I spend fifty bucks of God's money on that?" There's nothing wrong with having a big house if you NEED a big house; especially if you've dedicated it to hospitality ministry. But the issue is that if you don't need something, or if you don't think God would want His money spent that way, then do without.
That's all well and good (or so Me used to say), but then you're miserable. But I'm not. I don't think I will be, either. Because once you give all your stuff (money included) to God, then He takes care of it; I don't have to worry about it anymore. And when I am living in submission to God, my attitudes are subject to His, which means that I can enjoy life to the fullest without all this extra stuff. After all, Jesus had nothing of material value. He had all the power, authority, and might in the universe to do whatever He wanted, but He didn't use it to get stuff. He had nothing we would consider of value, except for one thing: LIFE. He brought Life more abundant! And He did it without the latest car, the newest tunes, and the handiest gadgets. So if God Himself didn't need "stuff" to accomplish the greatest work since creation, why do we lust after material goods for our fleeting lives here?
So, that's something I have learned--and why Me would think I'm crazy. But maybe it's the world that's crazy, not I.....
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Blog really is an ugly word
I heard once that some researchers did what they did best and conducted some research. (Hey, maybe it was for someone's ETSU Honors Thesis. That's the only reason I can think for conducting this study.) They asked non-English speakers to rate certain English words according to how pleasant they sounded. So just what is the most pleasant word in the English language? [I'll tell you later]
Well, it is certainly not "blog." Think of all the unpleasant things that sound like "blog." There's "bog," a perilous swampy marsh, full of evil smells. "Fog" is close as well, though fog can be a lovely, bewitching thing on a cold fall morning; however, I am thinking now of a bog's fog, which would be thickly yellow and putrid with the smell of decaying bog matter. Not too pleasant. Let's not forget "smog" which "clogs" our air. And how many of us have had to "slog" through a tough semester at school? Yes, "blog" is an ugly word.
Celery.
Celery is supposed to be the most beautiful word in the English language.
Isn't that pitiful?
Or is it more pitiful that I actually spent all this time writing about it? Or that you spent this time reading it?
So let's all go do something productive.
Well, it is certainly not "blog." Think of all the unpleasant things that sound like "blog." There's "bog," a perilous swampy marsh, full of evil smells. "Fog" is close as well, though fog can be a lovely, bewitching thing on a cold fall morning; however, I am thinking now of a bog's fog, which would be thickly yellow and putrid with the smell of decaying bog matter. Not too pleasant. Let's not forget "smog" which "clogs" our air. And how many of us have had to "slog" through a tough semester at school? Yes, "blog" is an ugly word.
Celery.
Celery is supposed to be the most beautiful word in the English language.
Isn't that pitiful?
Or is it more pitiful that I actually spent all this time writing about it? Or that you spent this time reading it?
So let's all go do something productive.
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