Like most people, money has a very real influence in our lives. It is such a fine line between managing that resource and letting it manage (more like rule) you. We have been walking that line lately, drifting onto each side nearly everyday. Finances are just seeming like a never ending roller coaster where one moment you think "why yes we have a budget and everything is planned and we have full control over our finances" and then the next you're asking each other how are we going to pay for gas for this next week?
Well I don't know the solution to the up and down data in our bank account. But just like everything else, I am reminded (I may not listen but it is still told to me) everyday that everything I have, everything we have, belongs to God. Everything we DON'T have belongs to God. So..... everything belongs to God. And He will sustain us. We are most assuredly in a certain season in our lives. God might let us and even push us to that very uncomfortable ledge. But it's ok. Because He's got us. He knows and He's not just doing this for His own amusement. It's because it's what's best for us and His kingdom.
A huge lesson I'm being taught through this financial discomfort is the magnitude of my own materialism. I have enough clothing. Our home is furnished and furnished well. We have food. It may not be our favorites, but we will not starve. Actually we could probably stand to loose a pound or two. Our cars have always gotten us where we need to go. We have bikes if we might need them. We both have cell phones. We are blessed with electricity and running water. We have air conditioning! Yet, why do I still have this desire to buy more? This roving eye for something else I don't have but might make my life a bit better? Like those chairs I just bought and painted. We didn't need them. we had chairs for our table that worked perfectly fine. I just felt like I wanted something different. At this point in our life, that buy was wasteful.
As you can tell, I've been thinking on this for awhile and I really want to change my buying habits.
So in response (you know I always like a good project) I'm going to do a materialism fast for 30 days.
Here are my guidelines:
I'm going to write these guidelines on an index card and keep it in my wallet. This is going to be hard. There's no doubt about that. For instance, I'm wearing my last pair of contacts. I doubt they will last through this month. If I stick to what I'm saying, then I will have to make do with my glasses. I do not like this prospect. I hate wearing my glasses. But I want to change more than I don't want to wear those glasses (desire for change > dislike of spectacles). I wonder if Adam will agree to be my pep-talker?
Well I don't know the solution to the up and down data in our bank account. But just like everything else, I am reminded (I may not listen but it is still told to me) everyday that everything I have, everything we have, belongs to God. Everything we DON'T have belongs to God. So..... everything belongs to God. And He will sustain us. We are most assuredly in a certain season in our lives. God might let us and even push us to that very uncomfortable ledge. But it's ok. Because He's got us. He knows and He's not just doing this for His own amusement. It's because it's what's best for us and His kingdom.
A huge lesson I'm being taught through this financial discomfort is the magnitude of my own materialism. I have enough clothing. Our home is furnished and furnished well. We have food. It may not be our favorites, but we will not starve. Actually we could probably stand to loose a pound or two. Our cars have always gotten us where we need to go. We have bikes if we might need them. We both have cell phones. We are blessed with electricity and running water. We have air conditioning! Yet, why do I still have this desire to buy more? This roving eye for something else I don't have but might make my life a bit better? Like those chairs I just bought and painted. We didn't need them. we had chairs for our table that worked perfectly fine. I just felt like I wanted something different. At this point in our life, that buy was wasteful.
As you can tell, I've been thinking on this for awhile and I really want to change my buying habits.
So in response (you know I always like a good project) I'm going to do a materialism fast for 30 days.
Here are my guidelines:
- Buy only gas and groceries
- No clothing, beauty products, home decor, art/craft supplies, organizing stuffs, books, magazines, movies, music, fast food, unnecessary excursions...
- If there is something I really want, write it on a list and see if that desire lasts through the month. Reevaluate that desire at the month's end. Decide if it's worth spending God's money (because all our money is actually His) on whatever it is.
- Be creative and make do with what I already have or can obtain for free.
- And finally (and what I think makes this process a true fasting) is every time I get that urge to buy an unnecessary product, I will stop and thank God for something similar He's already entrusted me with.
I'm going to write these guidelines on an index card and keep it in my wallet. This is going to be hard. There's no doubt about that. For instance, I'm wearing my last pair of contacts. I doubt they will last through this month. If I stick to what I'm saying, then I will have to make do with my glasses. I do not like this prospect. I hate wearing my glasses. But I want to change more than I don't want to wear those glasses (desire for change > dislike of spectacles). I wonder if Adam will agree to be my pep-talker?
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