Monday, April 15, 2013

will the real slim shady...please stand up..



This fast is looking so different than I had planned! 
The first 3 days...I forgot I was even on a fast, 
until, someone had to go and ask me how it was going. 
oops. :/

Chapter 3:  Possessions
 Jen Hatmaker's Book: 7

I decided to give 7 things from every space in my house.
bathrooms, linen closet, pantry, kitchen etc...everywhere. 
And, as I was going through 1 or 2 rooms a day...
prayed in that room, for God to show me excess...
and to show me what I am treasuring in place of Him. 

These beauties were not on my list to give away...
but, I wish they would have been.

my sista...heidi hall laplante...aka spin chic..
throwing a beach bash for our kids during our "staycation" 
me: wearing my blues

 a selfie...with my favorite shady-shades.

and, look at them now...a broken mess. 
if i had given them away...at least someone 
would have been able to enjoy them!

My definition of a prized possession that means too much to me:
If I own it and it gets damaged or broken and the following 
thoughts come to mind:

1. I'm going to cry or lose it-whichever comes first-order is not a factor
+
2.  I want to skip all of my responsibilities and head
straight to the establishment that sells this possession to purchase another.

These weeks have been good...and hard. 
Did I say that?  Okay...I'm saying that.  good + hard.

Perspective has been a huge part of these 2 weeks.

I think it's time for me to go back to my list of essentials.

There was a time where that is all we had.
Just a year ago, in fact-
We were in a place where a pair of sunglasses 
was a luxury...not something we would just
  throw in our cart and purchase.
I'm being challenged to take a step away from the comfort of having stuff.
and move towards simplifying life with the essentials.

******
So, I had this thought as I was in my pantry-

to take snacks and give them away
to people who needed lunch.
Our pantry is an area that we have excess.  
I want it out of my pantry and into people's
hands and bodies that need it.
We did get a few strange looks
when we would hand someone an uncrustable, 
along with a juice box and some snacks...
but, no one ever turned us away.

This simple act has impacted me.  
It has humbled me.  
It has left me flat on my face in tears. 
Why such emotion? 

Because, I have seen it leave 
a lasting impression on my 7 year old.
She prays for these "new friends"
 that we have met and shared lunch with.  
her heart, along with mine
breaks for them.
but, mostly, it's because we have been in the place of need.
We have seen others who have been the hands and feet of Jesus to us.
We have experienced how powerful His love is for us...that He
laid us on the hearts of other's to actually come along side us
and remind us of that we were not forgotten.
******

I am only halfway through my house and one closet in my basement 
is full of stuff to give-away.  That may not sound like much...but, after
moving 3 times, in 3 years-I really didn't think I had that much left to 
give-away.  

It may take a couple months to get everything
 to it's rightful place-or, maybe it will get completed
 in a couple weeks. Praying God's timing and leading-
and for my grasp to be looser and looser on these things
 and tighter and tighter onto Him. 



Less of me and my stuff-
and more of you Jesus.
more.of.you.