Has anyone heard of the term “If you make your bed, sleep in it”? This is what me and my wife are going through right now. As you may remember, I wrote a post six weeks ago about money. I confessed to you the massive debt load we are under, and that we are fighting to get out. We didn’t really gain any traction, so we dumped a car. 4% of the world have a single car, never mind two. But we saw another opportunity, and next week we are moving into a townhouse with Mike McKee, a great friend, and all in all our expenses will be cut about $850 a month.

But for us, it’s not about the money. It’s about how much clutter we found in our 100-year-old apartment. I cut my wardrobe in half, Tabitha cut hers in a third. We’re getting rid of dressers, couches, comfy chairs, and shelving units. We’re giving away vacuum cleaners, cans of paint, and lawn chairs. And we have never used any of it.

We are spoiled rotten in the Great White North. Did you know that over well over the people on the planet today can’t afford to eat today, and yet we can walk into a Montana’s, and pay to have someone make our food? That just makes me SICK! We  have to respect the privileges that Christ gave us. It’s not like you’re evil if you eat at Montana’s, or the Big Wing Sandwich at Turtle Jack’s (praise Jesus for Big Wing Sandwiches) but just think of your clutter. Of your house, appartment, or bedroom. How much stuff do you need?

What can you use to give to others and use for God’s kingdom. Any stories are welcome.

Aaron

Recently, I’ve let myself get way to busy. Not even that “church busy”, that we try to justify cause we’re busy with ‘good’ things. Busy with work and thinking of it at home, moving, odd jobs, etc.

Do you ever take on too much in life? Where your tasks and chores take up the time that your relationships should hold?

Well I did, I felt very disconnected from my friends and family. Seeing them would ‘put me behind’ in my work. With our God being a relational God, he wasn’t in my sight line.. creating selfish ambition. (which won’t please your wives gentle men!)

When you wake up in the morning, what are your first few thoughts? If they aren’t about love and Christ.. we should probably get back to the basics.

I choose to not let my tasks dominate me. I choose to read and pray when I get up, to align my thoughts with God. So I have something to give my peers at work, and my wife at home and all else who i contact throughout the day.

what’s your daily routine? do you have one? would structure help you grow?

brotherly love,
c.g.

I don’t know about you, but there is something beautiful about a well laid out buffet that warms my heart.  All that selection presented before me and I get to be the creator of my own customized meal (not that I’m a control freak).  On our recent vacation to California our friends took my wife and I to a place called Hometown Buffet.  To say that it was a remarkable experience might not be too strong of a phrase.  Maybe that was because we had a 2 for 1 coupon (I do like deals) or it could have been a result of getting to try Strawberry Fanta for the first time [side note: if this same opportunity presents itself to you, do yourself a favour and chug that back].  Regardless, it was a delightful meal that left me satisfied in my belly region.  Read the rest of this entry »

Recently, in big church, I was given the opportunity to speak—twice!

These moments come once every few months and I usually enjoy being able to have a conversation with the congregation from the stage.

Sunday was a mixed bag of feelings.

It’s not that I didn’t enjoy being able to talk about Jesus. I love to! I guess that’s why I chose to do that full-time. What made it feel weird was that when I was talking about the cage, the room felt so silent.

The analogy of the cage is the fact that there is a life that God wants for us and a ton of things will keep us from it. As I opened the cage, I read some of the things that are keeping us from living God’s intended life for all of us. Here’s a few that I read, but feel free to comment and suggest more.

Lost Connection- the fact that we’re far from God.
Purposelessness- feeling as if our lives have no meaning
Circumstances in life- life craps on us. Sometimes it may be our fault, sometimes it’s not.
Sexual Regrets- addictions and past experiences that wound us.
Guilt and Shame- the refusal of letting things go.
Fear of Man- the fear of what people may think of us.
Pride- I don’t need help
?- the beast in the basement we’re afraid to even name.

The Apostle John quoted Jesus speaking of light and darkness in his gospel. He said that people hate the light and don’t come into the light in fear that their deeds would be exposed. So true. Exposure will often come with a cost.

And maybe it’s a guy thing.

We like to act like we have it together.

We often think that if you don’t have it together, you’re a wuss.

And maybe if we come out and say that we suck at life, people will only point and laugh.

I think you can make the connection here.

That morning many people were able to make the connection. Cages were opened and they began to let Jesus deal with the crap in their lives.

But also, from the silence, I knew that just as many (and if not, more) were held back. Reservations can sometimes imobilize us. Silence can kill.

What is keeping you in the cage?

Do you have a friend who is in the same cage?

It’s good to talk.

“But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.” (Mark 10:43-45)

As a follower of Jesus Christ, it breaks my heart to see how many “Christians” don‘t carry out this principle. It‘s so easy to get sucked into the rut or self-serving, not humbling yourself to the needs to others. I‘m not just talking about writing a check and you’re done. I’m talking about getting dirty, going to the places where others don‘t want to go.

Me and my wife had this conversation very recently. We are committing a certain portion of our giving to litterally helping the needy. It may be handing out sandwiches to homeless people, cleaning a friend’s house, watching someone’s kids, or buying groceries. In the words of Dino Rizzo, it`s Servolution, and we want to take this principle from Jesus to a whole other level in our lives.

So I challenge you to give your time, your efforts, your largest chunk of energy, maybe your money, your basement, or your spare bedroom. And if you can, do it annonymously. I have been the recipient of such gifts in the hour of my greatest need, and it is one of the biggest reminders of God you will ever experience.

What is God telling you to give?

Aaron