The love/hate relationship I share with blogging is intense.
I love to write.
I love to share.
Yet I always wonder what my purpose is in writing and sharing. I struggle intensely with meeting the "status quo", pleasing others and what they might think about me and how I live my life. Comparison has always been a huge obstacle for me.
Sunday, my pastor said something that stuck. It
really finally stuck in my stubborn brain. He was telling the story about the workers in the vineyard. How workers that worked hard in the sun ALL DAY LONG were paid the same wages as those who had just been working for an hour. Now let me tell you what- I was livid for those workers who had been working there all day long in the hot sun. It just did NOT seem fair! Then the pastor said something I will never forget. (
You can find the parable by clicking here.)
He said, "
Were not the workers happy until they looked around and began comparing? Were they not happy with the wage they had agreed upon until they saw that others had it better? How often to we appreciate what we have until we look around and find someone who we believe has it easier or better? How can we establish a heart of gratitude and contentment looking at what others have compared to us?".
The Lord spoke to me at that point. I heard him. I didn't hear Pastor Hamilton. I heard the Word and voice of God Almighty.
Now for those of you who thought this would be a short little post, I apologize because this is just the preparation God began in my heart. There is soooo much more!
That morning, I had began helping my mom prepare The Giving Tree for our church. The Giving Tree is a Christmas tree in which we decorate with ornaments that have an item written on them. The item was something that a family in need needed. My mom goes out in the community and finds families who could use a little help around the Holidays. (
You can read more about our Christmas Tree traditions and The Church Giving Tree by clicking here.)
One of the items on the ornament was a little girl in need of panties. Now I know, as well as many others, I am extremely hormonal being hmm...
38 weeks pregnant!, but I lost it.
How often do I just run to the store because one of the boys has made such a mess in their underwear that it's easier to just go buy more?! This little girl, four years old, was asking a church, who did not know her, for underwear for Christmas! How selfish and wasteful have I been?
After church, I was walking behind a family who was belly-aching about how they just didn't have the funds this year to help this family. Still walking behind them in the parking lot, I heard the son ask where they would be going for lunch. The dad replied, "I was thinking maybe Red Lobster."
Now I cannot tell you if that family had a gift card or even if it's any of business, but I was fuming... This began my thinking. If every family in our church ate at home for two weeks and gave the money the saved to helping people, the impact we could have? Now I know I am walking the line of judging people. I know ... BUT, think of the change we could make.
On the way home, I brought my feelings to Andy. He thought I was on to something. So on and on my thinking went...
And here we are. I cannot begin to explain to you the urging in my heart. There have been so many situations come up like this in our lives. I feel that the Lord has something huge in store for our family but we are not ready yet. We are still plagued by problems we need to work on. Problems in which consumerism, materialism and lack of contentment reside.
This is where our journey begins.
We are embarking on the journey to simplify. In 2011, we are going to go area by area and see where we can simplify.
This blog is a journal in which Andy and I are both going to be writing and sharing insights on our journey. I know that many times I accomplish something but forget how I got there. I want this to document the steps we take and the joys/pains we endure.
We are so excited and so blessed to share this with you. Please come back and join our journey to get back to the basics- God, Family and Friends.
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37-40
Your Woman on a Mission! -
Jodi
