Almost eight years ago, we moved an hour away from our familiar and safe into a brand-new house in a brand-new community.
Our home is modest – it’s not overly large or overly small.
But . . . there is no basement and the land surrounding our home feels small when you add two adults, three children, an 80 pound Labrador Retriever and a cat.
Not having a basement in Indiana is a worry during tornado season and we would love some acreage so our brood of three can run free. Space in which they don’t have to worry about trampling the neighbor’s flowers or being hit by a car. Space that allows for a larger garden and a trampoline and a . . .
We had planned to only stay in our current home for about seven years – but we had not planned on the Great Recession of 2007-2009.
About a year ago, I began to grow restless. I started to focus on what we didn’t have instead of what we did. I became ungrateful and entitled.
My heart was dark and ugly, filled with lies I believed from the world: we deserve a home with more land. We deserve a larger home with a basement. Our closets are too small. There’s no storage. Our garage isn’t large enough. Lord, we’ll use our home for your glory, don’t you know that?
Yes, I know. Twisted. Sister.
What’s even more twisted, people, is that I had been to Ghana just two short years prior. I had seen some abject poverty.
But oh how quickly we forget and how easily it can be to assimilate right back into the land of excess.
And while I had been changed by that trip, I don’t think I had been changed enough.
Six months ago, I was out planting flowers, beautifying the outside of our home and getting excited for the promise of warmer temperatures.
My mind started to go there. I began to wonder if this might be our last summer in our house and I quickly leapt into a dream of where we might move, hopeful of land and basements . . .
That’s when I heard it, clear as day:
“Why would I entrust you with more when you can’t even appreciate what I’ve already entrusted you with?”
I dropped my trowel and sought the solace of a glass of water in the kitchen.
Contentment is a foreign concept in the first world. When we get what we think we want, the finish line moves up to a new level.
The problem is . . . the finish line always moves up – but only if we move it ourselves.
In Chapter Eleven of Rhinestone Jesus
When I watched the women work in Ghana, I was in awe of how hard they labored, day-in and day-out – much harder than I do. Many of the modern conveniences I take for granted are not available to Ghanaians so they simply don’t know another way to do a chore like laundry. They aren’t unhappy about their lack of a General Electric front-loader – in fact, if they were given one, they likely wouldn’t have the electricity to use it anyway.
And I admit that before, when I read stuff like this, I grew a little uneasy. Irritated. Feeling as if I was being manipulated to feel guilty for being able to afford modern conveniences.
But now I see that really isn’t the point. As Kristen states on page 180, “It’s not about giving all our money away and living with the poor like Mother Theresa (unless God specifically calls us to do so). It’s about 1) being willing to do just that if God asks, and 2) exchanging our poverty of spirit that is often found in consumerism for abundant joy, which is often discovered in relentless generosity.”
In other words, give. With a generous spirit. With open hands holding loosely. With a pure heart of love for those who are lacking – both economically and spiritually.
I loved Kristen’s suggestions on how to fight against the spirit of consumerism in your own home. She suggests:
1. Turn off the TV. I notice this with my own kids – when they see advertisements, they suddenly want something they didn’t even know existed three seconds prior.
2. Ask questions. Where are the items you’re purchasing come from? Is it made in a sweat-shop where young children are exploited or is it fair-trade?
3. Look for alternatives. I poked around a bit and found www.greatergood.com – a wonderful selection of fair trade products. I also really like Delicate Fortress and my new favorite, Noonday Collection.
4. Educate yourself and your family. Watch documentaries, read the news, gather information on the Internet . . . When your children see the face behind the products we use and understand that sometimes, children their very own age are making the products they use under deplorable conditions, it makes those new 99 cent t-shirts less appealing. For a complete list of goods produced by child or forced labor, click here.
5. Beware of cheap finds. We all love a sale, don’t we? But if it’s too cheap to believe, it’s probably cost someone something
In the Western world, we have been given much more than most other people around the globe. What is our responsibility? Let’s reflect on any of the following this week in the comment section:
1. What shopping choices can you make to become a more conscientious consumer?
2. Do you consider yourself rich? What makes you rich?
3. How can you live more generously?
4. Do you feel that your life has to be perfect before God can use you? If so, where did this idea come from?
5. Reflect on anything else from Chapters Eleven and Twelve.
Next week will be our last week . . . Boo!
I feel God stirring a subject of selflessness inside me. I feel like everywhere I look and everything I read is pointing toward (as a whole) our selfish attitudes. I was listening to Peter Heck talk a little about his new book “Me” and he was talking about how he read a book that said that all sin stems from selfishness. Wow! Yup. Why do I do the things I do? Because I’m focused on myself, not God. I’m making an effort to change the pattern. I recently read about Jesus gifts in an article about putting the focus where it should be during Christmas by OhAmanda. It’s based on the verse “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:40
We just did a couple shoeboxes for Operation CHRISTmas Child and are sending a gift/donation to our sponsored children. I’ll be looking for more opportunities this Christmas season to give Jesus more gifts. Thank you, Natalie, for suggesting this book. I know this is exactly the topic God wants me to focus on right now. :)
That’s awesome! I LOOOOOOOOVE Operation Christmas Child – we do it every year. In fact, I’m going to post about it on Facebook tomorrow. I hear you on the selfishness thing – so true. All sin really does come down to selfishness – and fear, of course. But I think selfishness and fear go together, too. :)
I also was led to this book for such a time as this…:) So thankful you are in this study, Stephanie!
Excellent thoughts right before the holidays – when excess can take over! Im pretty mindful of WHAT I buy, but am going to be more mindful of WHERE I buy this year. Thanks for the reminder.
Me too, Holly. I am really going to focus on fair trade stuff as much as possible. This book is really making me see past our own wants and needs and be more intentional about teaching my children to look past themselves – along with myself. :) So thankful you are a part of this study, Holly!
Our family has started a dialog about the commercials my kids see. We talk to them about what they say they want and then ask…is it a want or a need? Then continue the conversation from there.
There will always be something that they want, but they need to understand they don’t need it.
So good, Bethany. The sooner you start with this the better. We’ve talked about how those who write commercials are trying to “trick” them in to buying stuff they didn’t even want before they saw the commercial. Agree with you – there will always be something they want. And I’m also not saying it’s not OK to give our kids things they want for birthdays and Christmas – just not to crazy excess. Thanks for joining in, Bethany – so excited to have you around these parts. I’ll message you tomorrow!
I read this article a while back and really identified with it: http://www.raptitude.com/2010/07/your-lifestyle-has-already-been-designed/ It is amazing how the more one has, be it stuff, options to choose from, or activities to keep busy, the less happy with all those things/choices/activities one can get. It’s a constant struggle, but ironically during the times I’ve been the most concerned about saving money have been the times that I’ve been happiest with my home (and it stays the cleanest; I guess I don’t go shopping or sign up for so many ‘busy’ness creating activities as much – go figure) and felt the most content. Funny how our culture seems to know just how to play to that side of human nature.
{I also loved your perspective. I just think it is so great to see discussion about our rampant discontentment and consumerism cropping up more and more often and from many different angles. I think it is really central to our health as people, both physically & spiritually.}
Thanks, Jessica – for your kind words and for sharing such a great article. You are correct – when you have less “stuff” it’s so much less stressful, isn’t it? I remember saying a while back “Our stuff is stressing me out.” What a revelation that was…So now I’m trying to teach my kids it’s not about the “stuff” – and I’m learning, too. The consumerism in our culture is nauseating at times and yet I know I play right into it, too. It’s definitely something I’m seeing with different eyes now. So thankful you are a part of our study, Jessica!
Thank you my sweet friend for this post!! As you know this very subject has been on my heart!!
You are quite welcome, dearie! :)