Compacting

Compacting is a wierd word and perhaps that is part of my struggle. And although I truly want to do this and expect to spend a lot of energy trying to change my ways, I think last night we easily demonstrated how easy it is to get around the "rules". And somehow the whole blood thing isn't so off the wall because we need to make a commitment. The first part of this is just a month. Can we go a month not buying new things?

One person needs to buy materials for her business. I would never lump those purchases in with all my self gratifying purchases like my books, and my cds and dvds (isn't Happy Feet out?) and new plants for my yard... and oh.. manure for my yard and chocolate junk for the kids for Easter and ice cream at DQ and new pillows for the couch and an avocado slicer, and new shoes for the summer, and socks for exercising and new earrings, and some placemats for the table and my towels are old and ... and .... and ....!

I get it that those are the easy things to let go of. But last night a friend was at the end of a bad day and I went and spent $10 for flowers to leave on her doorstep. Is that about me? Ok.. then if we go there, we have to go out to eat because there are folks that need touching and sometimes that is the safest way to reach out. And then ... and then ... and then.... (Bob when I do nano-ryhmo do those ... count as a word?).

So the deal is ultimately we can make the ground rules as 1. no buying new and 2. bartering and borrowing and recycling. But we also have to commit to a change of beviour inside each of ourselves. We can say we have no extra cash and we never buy that junk. But then we recognize that we each have our own little treasures that we want to exempt from this whole thing. And I am not saying that is wrong.

I am saying that I left last night thinking that there would not be much to change in my buying habits... if we exempt our eating out except for when we are ministering.. and we get to buy foods (which some foods could be considered those treasures that could be gotten another way). Do you know what I am saying? This has to be about changing our behaviour in the manner of spending. And you may already be bare bones and you may not be. But changing is about making a sacrifice and adapting and finding out that life goes on even when we deny ourselves the right to supply our every whim! And ultimately our lives should be about helping us live lives that glorify Him. Honestly, I believe that these are changes that I need to make in my life. And change is hard and unpleasant and ultimately for my own good.Think about it.. tell me what you think. DKU