Economy of Living

Nathan and I just had a few budget talks in the last few days. We both feel strongly that the money we have been given is enough - in fact our eyes have witnessed tremendous help from the Lord with the Harvey Fellowship in particular - but we find ourselves hoping we'll make it through November. I'm not worried, neither is he. In the back of my mind though, I have to admit I wonder how long we will labor under debt. There are moments that I feel the burden to get out and work and contribute financially to our present state; but then, I want to shout, NO WAY, the consumer/materialistic buck stops here. I refuse to be made to feel that I have to afford certain things in order to be called a human being. I refuse to have 10 pairs of nice shoes when all I really need are two - sneaks to jog in and a pair to cruise around in every day. I refuse to pursue another brown purse just because it's nice, when I already have a brown purse (and let's get real; why do we think we need more than one purse anyway?). Well, you will say, so what? Well the so what is just this: we have to live in ways that intentionally demonstrate the things we value. Do we value the stewardship and conservation of the land? Then we need to make sacrifices in our budget to buy produce and meats that promote the well being of the earth and the animals we are to "govern over". Do we value home as restorative, restful, brimming with life and warmth? Or is it just a place to live? If we value the former, it requires the presence of someone to make it a place of welcome, to nourish the body and the heart. Do we value the poor in our neighborhood, in our world? Then we give to them on the street when they ask us. We send money to organizations that are working in aid of the poor, the suffering, the oppressed. Do we support the exploitation of people in other countries, working in squalid conditions or for meager wages? We must be mindful of where we shop (certain superstores can sell things for minimum prices but at the expense of other people we'll never see). Don't get me wrong, money isn't everything, but the way we spend our money counts. It speaks volumes to merchants, farmers, the retail industry and politicians. It's a small start to shaping the world we live in, but it's a start.