And I know what I want.
(Now, c'mon. You know I'm not the only one who plans ahead for their special day)
The Hands of Mercy Outreach Center is a local, non-profit community outreach center which assists those in need in the community whether it be through food, clothing, utility bill assistance, etc. They hold quarterly Food Pantries where members of the area can come and get much needed grocery and household items. I have had the pleasure of assisting the Center in their mobile pantries and by donating gently used clothing and household items.
They have recently begun a Weekend Feeding Program which sends a bag of food discreetly in a child's backpack for the weekend. Here's a hard truth: many of the children in our community do not eat nutritious food, if at all, when they are not at school. Many do not eat from the time they leave lunch until they arrive at school the next morning and are served breakfast. Many have precious little to eat over the weekend. This is serving a great need. It took a lot of prayer, hard work and great perseverance to make it happen, and I am so proud that it did.
Here is why I share:
It takes approximately $160 to feed one child for the year.
This is what I want for my birthday:
If merely 15 of my friends will donate $10 for this cause, together we can feed a child for a year in this program.
10 bucks.
I don't need another candle.
I don't need a bottle of lotion.
The good Lord knows I need no jewelry.
But these children.
Need.
Food.
Would you consider partnering with me in this cause?
Consider it my birthday present.
I am donating my birthday to the Hands of Mercy Outreach Center.
My goal: One child for the year.
(Two including the child I plan to sponsor myself).
Pray about this.
I am working on living with more Intentionality.
Ask God if He is indeed leading you to serve others in this capacity.
If His answer is yes, please join with me.
You have months to join and I WILL be reminding you.
You will be feeding a hungry child in your own backyard in the name of the Savior.
What more could one ask for on a birthday?
Intentionality.
That's weighing heavy on my mind.
It's why I purge.
It's behind my attempt at the 333 Project.
It's the purpose behind my porch time.
I've lived the day-in day-out life of status quo and excuses and negativity.
It didn't work for me.
My life crumbled as a result.
And I learned the value of Intentionality:
Living every day - and moment - with purposeful intention.
I often fall short.
The housework builds and bills stack up and the children...
Why oh why must they be fed every.single.day?
But there is grace.
The precious gift of redemption.
That whisper that reminds me that tomorrow is new and fresh
Filled to the brim with another cup of mercy to strengthen me in my weaknesses.
And I refocus once more on...
Intention.
Purpose.
Making conscious choices rather than falling prey to the "it is what it is" mentality.
These past few days the Spirit has whispered over and over to me...
"Intentionality."
It's time for me to dig a little deeper into my heart to search out my purpose and focus.
To allow Him into the depths that I've hidden away as I've taken on new roles and assumed bigger responsibilities these past couple of years.
To allow myself to be stretched once more deeply out of my comfort zone so that I can be more fully His.
To put my money where my mouth is.
To let go of my attachment to 'stuff'.
To ensure my treasure is eternal.
Intention.
It's mind and heart transformed into Action.
Walking toward the exit, the once-orphaned now full grown man turns to the woman and says, "Thank you for loving me all those years ago."
She replies, eyes smiling, "Isn't that what it's all about?"
Fade Out.
This was the final scene in a family movie I viewed with my children this past weekend.
A simple, yet profound final statement:
Love.
Isn't that what it's all about?
While I was attending graduate school in Memphis, Tennessee, every semester at least once, a gentleman came and stood on the corner across the road from the Communication building and shouted to students entering campus,
"Repent! The kingdom of God is near! Turn from your sinful ways! Repent!"
While holding a large sign which condemned sinners to hell.
No student ever stopped to talk with this man.
I witnessed sneers and laughter and scoffing. Not repentance.
Finally, unable to walk away again, I went to the man and asked,
"Out of curiosity, how many students have you led to the foot of Jesus?"
He was silent.
I asked again, "Are your methods effective at saving the lost?"
He could not answer.
His intentions were possibly right.
His method was intensely wrong.
How many people are led to the foot of the cross by condemnation?
How many lost are taught the intense love of their Creator and Savior through shouting?
I have my guesses at answers to these questions.
But that is not my main point.
Here is the heart of the matter:
Love.
The apostle Paul tells us this in his letter to the Corintians.
God said it Himself when He chose a tortuous death over eternity without me.
So, why am I saying anything else?
Am I saying to compromise convictions?
Not at all.
But why is that an either/or option?
It isn't.
Love.
Love People.
It really is what it's all about.
That.
And.
Nothing.
Else.
The 333 Project:
I shared on Facebook that I am beginning this tomorrow.
This is an experiment in minimalism for me.
33 items for 3 months: October through December.
Included items are clothing, accessories and shoes.
Excluded items are under-things, sleepwear, and workout wear.
I am no legalist so I have opted for a couple of exceptions to the rules:
1. October is starting rather warm so I plan to include a handful of warmer weather items for here and there until the weather remains cool. (If it remains warm for much longer, I will push my experiment to November-January). The part of the country you live in must be factored in to the timing.
2. I am excluding weekend/lounging around clothes. My 33 items will be for work, church/public worship time, and going out.
3. I am excluding outerwear. The 333 project includes jackets and coats.
As someone who has pursued a more minimalist perspective for a little while now, I am looking forward to this journey. It was a challenge as I spent quite a while this past Friday going through my clothes and thinking through the weather changes and holidays of the next three months. I like to plan ahead, but this took that to a whole new level. And, at first I thought this would be a fun challenge. As fun as it really has been, it's been more of a challenge than I expected. I began to plan through some basic clothing options in order to create multiple outfits. Once I began to add accessories and then shoes...the numbers began adding up. Then, as I hung all of my clothing options together in one section of the closet so that I would keep track of what I have chosen and have to select from for the next three months, I turned and looked at the remaining clothes in my closet...
Now, let me remind you that I have been on a purging trend for the last couple of years and have easily cut my wardrobe in half over that time. That being said, I was amazed at what all remained in my closet that I declared 'unusable' for the next three months.
That's the point. At least for me.
I think I'm doing well at using my resources and decluttering and eliminating the unnecessary.
I needed an opportunity to take a deeper look at what I own - at what I consider valuable.
I urge you to look into the 333 project.
Read blogs such as
www.becomingminimalist.com
and
www.theothersideofcomplexity.com
They can encourage you and shed light in a clearer way than I can, that's for sure.
But, I guess I mainly share this so that you can know why I will continue to wear the same basic clothes over the next few months ;)
I'll try to create some variety with accessories.
My poor students - they'll think I own no other clothes.
Maybe, just maybe, this will open a door to conversation.
More than that, I am hoping to re-kindle the embers in my heart of a desire for less.
To get my focus back on what is truly important.
Less does equal more.
I think it's time to dive into that more deeply.
