To love and serve our neighbors and families well?
To bring Him glory?
To take care of those in need and pain?
To care for the widow, the orphan and the poor?
To work hard to buy a nice house (to pay off early) or be able to go on vacation or to buy my kids a new Easter outfit?
(insert screeching tires here)
Wait what?
Why doesn't this match up? My heart know one thing to be true but yet my daily financial goals and spending habits send a different message.
Currently we have a budget of $100 a month to spend on clothing for our family. My children, Trav and I have closets and dresser FULL of clothes. There are children as I type this that wear no shoes on their feet and sleep cold and naked only dreaming of a new outfit. But yet, we have a budget of $100 to buy more clothes to put in our already crammed closets.
That make sense.
Every year I buy my kids a new Easter outfit. For what? So we can look cute and put together in our $40.00 new outfits at church? I am sure that brings so much glory to the Lord. That really communicates, Thank you Jesus for bearing my sins and taking the wrath that was intended for me in a painful and humiliating death. Don't the kids look cute, Jesus? Happy Easter!
Doesn't match up.
I stop by the store for milk and end up coming home with two bags of groceries. Another box of cereal to sit next to the other 3 boxes. More ice cream, snacks or things that just looked good and ended up finding its way into my cart. I get home to put away the groceries I didn't need. In order to make room for them, I throw away a trash bag full of "stale" cereal, snacks and leftovers just to make room to put it away. One out of every Eight children go to bed hungry.
It just doesn't match up.
So I'm committing to say NO "MORE".
No more buying things we don't need, even if I can afford them.
No more hoping for that raise so we can dream of going on that vacation, buying that bigger car, stroller, house or whatever.
What if we said no more to ourselves, and yes to being an intention blessing to the world in need around us?
Nearly everyday I have the same conversation with my two year old.
Luke: (As he grabs a toy from another child) "Mine!"
Me: "Luke, who's toy is that really?"
Luke: "God's."
Me: "Yeah Buddy, it's God's. He loaned it to us to share."
Hmmm....
Katie: "Mine!"
God: "Sweet Child, who's is it really?"
Katie: "It's yours. I promise to share."
What if I spent $50 a month on clothes for my family each month and gave the reminder away? Do my kids really need a 3rd swimsuit for the summer? Convenient yes, need no. What if I spend $20 less on groceries a month? Could I cut back on my waste and truly eat everything we buy. Maybe have leftovers one night?
What if we spent less and gave more?
There are a lot of needs. In my fight again consumerism in order to "share" and to say no more, I am committing to spending less and giving more. I don't know how it will look completely, but my heart is soft and ready to be obedient.
Here are just a two great causes that are doing just want God intended. Taking care of those less fortunate.
Amazima: Providing education, food and clothing to kids in Uganda
My Sister's Family: Who is adopting a little boy and could use help paying the $25,000 + cost.
Thanks for reading to my 4:00AM ramblings.
