SEVEN: Waste Week

Okay, so I’m not exactly a tree hugger.  Littering makes me a little mad—especially the coors lite cans thrown into my yard.   I’ve always seen the whole “green” thing  as a liberal democrat issue because it seems to me that many of the folks who are so outraged by an endangered species often care little about unborn babies being killed.  So… that makes me have to be against them on everything…right???

And for real, what difference does it make which bin I throw my water bottles into?  Am I not just wasting water by having to wash dishes and cloth napkins? And honestly, how do we even know what really happens to the stuff in the green bin I put out every other Wednesday—does it really get recycled or does it get tossed into the same dumpster my trash went in on Tuesday?  Does God even care how much paper I waste or what kind of gas I use?

“The earth is defiled by its people.”  Isaiah 24:5

“They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of his hands.”  Isaiah 5:12

 “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”  Isaiah 40:26

I get the idea God likes his earth pretty much. 

When I give a gift to someone--especially a treasured gift-- it makes me sad if it’s not taken care of.

So.  I’m gonna try to do better.  Recycle.  Use less.  Save more. 

·         Taking my lunch to work makes me use less gas (not to mention saves me $$ on junk I don’t need anyway)

·         Using  dishes instead of paper –well, it’s just nicer anyway

·         Tea (and in 16 days COFFEE YAY) just tastes better in my pretty yellow mug than in a Styrofoam cup that will not disintegrate until starwars

·         I will have homegrown sage for my thanksgiving dressing!!

creative lunch packing! Tuna in a jelly jar.  Crackers wrapped in the napkin :)

My daddy grew sage and dried it for me.  He would be proud!

Office Recycling (i get weird looks)

SEVEN: Media week

No:

facebook

Instagram

Twitter

* tv

Iphone aps

Internet (except for work)

Frivolous texting

Radio

Stupid games

*Since my husband was not participating, I will admit that the TV was on some when he was home.  But he mostly watches movies we’ve seen 723 times-Bourne, James Bond, the patriot, etc. I didn’t think that even counted.

I didn’t die.  Even though I had 32 notifications, I really don’t think anyone missed me! Seems everyone just wants me to play candy crush saga

 

What I did
     ·         Re-vamped my budget-went through every expenditure for July and August, seeing where  the money is high tailing it off to.  (Spending week is right around the corner)
     ·         Cleaned out the laundry room, making room for Terry's wonderful canned goods!
     ·         Read some books (started Interrupted and it scares me! Am I honestly ready for God to interrupt my comfy cozy life??? )

 

 

What I missed
      ·         Music in my car! (But the worship time at church this past sunday was so awesome!)
      ·         Emma videos on insta (but looks like she didn’t post much!)
      ·         Reading blogs












What I learned

      ·         I don’t want to be a slave to media-I want to actually be with the people I’m with

      ·         This question:  “How much time do you spend absorbing biblical truth compared to absorbing media?”  oh just stop it!! Why can’t you just make me feel warm and fuzzy!

      ·          “The dangerous part of our social media and technologically saturated world is not its existence, but what it distracts us from.”  Brandon Hatmaker (Jen’s husband)

      ·         I must recondition myself not to feel compelled-pressured-to immediately reply to every text, email, and FB message

      ·         FB can be a breeding ground for gossip. (get outa town! Really???)  I read a vague post and my mind goes nuts.  I have permission to unfriend toxicity.

 

In other news: I miss you, Coffee. Only 20 more days until we’re singing, “reunited and it feels so good!!”

 

stuff

It's Possessions week!  Give away 7 things for 7 days.  What could be simpler?  My goal in this week was to make this about making connections.  My favorite 7 quote this week:  "It's not that Christians don't care about the poor, Christians don't KNOW the poor."  owwwie. 

This is not about de-cluttering my house just so i can go buy newer stuff to fill it up again.

But I will admit, my kitchen cabinet doors now close and open without stuff falling out!  that's a nice new side effect!

So far my favorite moment has been my RED coat moment.  I truly loved my RED winter coat.  It's about 2 years old, but with our mild winters hasn't seen a lot of action.  So when I asked about a particular young lady (I think I'll call her Esther-she's really really brave and loves God fiercely!) whom i knew was in need of many basic things, i was told she probably had the summer stuff covered, but she'd be needing some winter clothes and maybe a jacket.  my RED coat.  Please not my RED coat-i'll give her my denim jacket, how bout that?  okay, mutter, eye roll.  Saturday morning i went through my closet, grabbed my RED coat and a few other things, and headed over to see Esther.  I felt a bit awkward.  I didn't want to make her feel weird.  Didn't want to be the church lady here on a project.  How ironic that she put me at ease the very second she saw me.  She grabbed me up and loved on me.  But here's the thing.  While Esther was so grateful for my RED coat, that wasn't what she was concerned about at the time.  She had just spent the night in agonizing prayer for a wayward son who was making some really poor choices and affecting everyone around him.  We laid aside the clothes and began to pray for this prodigal to come home. that he would come to know our Jesus and understand that only He can fill his empty places.  i wouldn't trade this moment for all the RED coats in Macy's! 

Here's what i'm still struggling with--that same old question...How much stuff  is okay and how much stuff is stupid ridiculous? i have a hair appointment today at 4:45.  i will spend more on my hair than some people around the world make in month.  I saw a tweet by Jen Hatmaker yesterday about hoping her cute boots were visible on the TV interview she just did.  I watched her HGTV renovation of their newly purchased farm house.  Immediately my fleshy side--you know the side that compares and competes--went into overdrive.  IF THE AUTHOR OF THIS CRAZY BOOK CAN HAVE STUFF SO CAN I!!!! Can i sound more like a 3 year old? but seriously,  i give to my church.  i give regularly to other ministries.  i give to special offerings. i even gave $7 to the homeless man at Dollar General. But am i justifying all my stuff?  i don't know the answer.  i just don't.  Why did the rich young ruler go away sad? He loved his stuff more than he wanted to follow Jesus.  i am so trying to learn this.  i don't want to go away sad.  i want more RED coat moments. 

clothed with pride

SEVEN-Clothing Week:  i came into this week just a little smug.  after all, i'm not shackeled by the bondage of outward appearance.  not me.  i felt a little sorry for some of the others though.  poor girls.  they really have some work to do on their issues.  then THIS happened...  I totally flipped out  when i came to the realization that i'd worn 6 of my 7 sanctioned clothing items on the first day.  My funeral suit & shoes and my red summer blast t-shirt (forced on me by children's ministry) with jeans and flip flops.  THANK GOODNESS i found out i would be off work one day during the week.  At this point i'm just thankful Jen didn't mess with my make-up (shudder). who's got issues??? this girl.

Pride.  that's my uniform.  Pride accessorized by jealousy.  i want to be thin and tan and cute and well dressed, shopping at the little boutiques.  And this desire is motivated by nothing holy.  nothing innately good.  not because i want to please Jesus in any way.  it's purely motivated by wanting to be liked OR wanting to be envied by someone I DON'T LIKE! Golly gee wiz I'm a cold sloppy mess.  (i'd say hot mess because that sounds much trendier, but there's nothing cute and trendy about where i am right now)  i have one "friend" that makes me so mad because every time i see her she's wearing something new (that's my exaggerated assessment, not  truth). Shouldn't she care more about the poor??? Doesn't she realize how self-absorbed she is????  Righteous Anger?  Nothing but jealousy. i'm thinking clothing week needs to be extended a few more days. i have way too much work to do here.

So just how do i take off this garment of pride--this adornment of jealousy? It fits so well and has become so comfortable!   James says if i humble myself, He will lift me up.  That's the one thing God won't do for me-the humbling part.  It's my deal. my choice.   But then He promises to do the lifting part.  When I'm embarrassed, i just want to hide.  This past week i made a ghastly mistake at work.  I put the WRONG time for a funeral service in the paper!  it was awful.  my first thought was how can i cover this up? How can i blame the newspaper?? But there was no way out.  i had to own it.  i did.  but it was no fun.  i hid out in my office the rest of the day.  avoided my boss as much as possible.  apologized at least 4 times.  i soon came to realize that what bothered me most was how incompetent it made me "look," not feeling bad for the family whose service time was wrong, or for the people who may have missed it or been inconvenienced by the error.  i looked bad.  poor me. 

Pride is so ugly.  take it off.  throw it away.  You know what's pretty?  a gentle spirit.  Phil. 4:5 says, "Let your gentle spirit be known by everyone."  the one thing we're allowed to show off! Here's the Msg. version:  "Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them, not against them."  Now that's a beautiful outfit.  accentuated by pearls of Grace

yes...i do believe clothing week needs to go another week-haven't even gotten to the poor garment industry workers and the kids in Haiti wearing Halloween costumes!