Filthy Rich

I love Wednesday.  I can wake up whenever I want and drink my coffee in bed while I read a book.  Life as a graduate student is rough, people.  No but really, I don't have class until 3:30 and after drinking my delicious coffee I will be listening to recorded lectures of Dr. Morris talking about bioenergetics while I frantically "draw" the incredibly complex process of glycolysis on my whiteboard.  I still love Wednesdays.

This morning I was reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  I am working through this book with my bible study and I have loved it.  This morning's reading got me thinking (weird).  Think = blog.  So here I am.

Have you ever thought about how seriously rich you are?  I mean really.  If you are reading this post from your Mac, PC, iPhone, Android, whatever, then you are more fortunate than most.  Francis Chan gave a nice visual to me this morning:  If 100 people represented the world's population, 53 of them would live on less than $2 a day.  If you make $4,000 a month you make one hundred times more than the average person on this planet.  I mean I spent $10 on this book, which is what some people make in a week.  Wow.

Which is more messed up - that we have so much compared to everyone else, or that we don't think we're rich?  

I call myself broke and poor all the time, but then I look around and I feel absolutely ridiculous for ever uttering those words.  I literally cannot fit one more item of clothing into my closet, yet I still have another full closet of clothes back in Virginia.  Ew.  This disgusts me.  I have a refrigerator exploding with fresh produce and cabinets full of delicious food, yet I eat out for about half of my meals every week.  I am able to get in my car and go where I like (mostly) because I have a car that passes inspection and I can afford to put gas in it.  I could go on, but wow, how can I ever call myself poor?  This is extravagant compared to many, yet this is normalcy.  I want more.  I want to buy more, I want to go more places, I want to travel here and do this or that.

I always find myself wanting.

For a long time I have felt stuck in this cycle of want and material needs.  I used to be a shopaholic (seriously it was bad).  I prayed so long to rid myself of that desire to always want new things.  About 75% of my clothes are purchased second hand now, though they are still clothes I just don't need.  When I shop now I find myself experiencing this strange feeling.  It's an ache that just isn't satisfied with the endless cycle of stuff anymore, yet I still crave it.  I'm stuck between these two ideals.  I feel so pulled both ways.  I am thankful for this feeling of conviction every time I start to buy something that I absolutely do not need.  Like how last weekend I carried around these super cute bright pink Patagonia flats at Mast General Store because they were 40% off.  40% off gets me every time.  I walked around with them for at least 30 minutes.  Kyle came to the rescue and we had a discussion about the other 30 pairs of shoes I already own, and while the shoes are cute, I just do not need them.  Three years ago I wouldn't have even thought twice.  Two years ago I maybe would have thought once, but probably still would have bought them.

Anyways, the point is, I want to be more of a giver and less of a consumer.  I feel burdened by how much I have sometimes.  Our culture demands consumption and preaches that more is always better.  Children are learning about this from the day they are born.  It makes me so sad.  I have a hard enough time navigating through the fog of this world, I can't imagine trying to navigate a child through it.

Find satisfaction outside of your stuff.  Seek simplicity, and do not worry.  Financial stress is just not worth it and it is so temporary.  If you're reading this, you are rich in some way.  There are so many ways we can simplify to just make life easier.  The rich are blessed, though wealth comes with a burden.  Break the cycle of desire and want for material things.  Find a way to give back.  I'm working on that last point.  I feel so convicted to serve and to give.  I'm working on it.

There is something we can all be thankful for today.

Find satisfaction through simplification.

Where do your treasures lie, readers?