Walking around campus and in Miami has been interesting this past week. Just looking at what people are wearing and have has been an experience in itself.
Last night, I was on a retreat for Sugarcanes (UM's bat girls for the baseball team) in the middle of nowhere (aka Everglades area). After getting lost, we finally found a pizza place for dinner. My mind began to wonder in between eating and chatting with the girls. Mind you, a good majority of the people down here on campus are very well off. Honestly, I have never heard of a lot of the "really nice" brands that people wear down here, but apparently they are popular and in style. I was looking at what the waitresses were wearing and then looking back to what we were wearing. I don't think it's not that they don't care what they are wearing, but what they were doing. Many of the women were wearing "work wear" or things that would be sold at Wal-mart or K-mart or something. I started thinking about how even if they could afford to change what the wear, they probably wouldn't because it's probably not that important to them to fit into some type of culture or style. They are probably more concerned for their families and paying bills. So why is it so important to me? It makes me feel pretty selfish.
That's about it for this week.
I'm out.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Inspiring and confusing...
So since my last post, I've started reading "Just Do Something" by Kevin DeYoung which is a book on following God's will (without dreams, fleeces, open doors, random bible verses, casting lots, writings in the sky.. etc). While reading it, I came across 1 John 2:15-17 which was mentioned in the 2nd chapter on the different types of God's will mentioned in the bible. It reads:
" 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." ESV
This verse really spoke to me (and no, I'm not claiming the book on God's will was "speaking" to me about my issue). I liked what it had to say and it is very true. You can't love both the world and God. So I was thinking..."Hm... I REALLY love the desires of my flesh and eyes and I do have pride in what I own....so does that mean I don't love God?" That question has haunted me the last couple of days.
Then I was thinking about how I say "I love _______" to everything I like (sometimes things I like a LOT). I love lizards came to mind. I always say I love all the little lizards in Miami. I also love cute small things (like mini animals, dolls, you know, the girly stuff). What the heck? Do I really love these things? Or do I just like them a lot? And for that matter...why do I use the same word for God as I do a lizard or something material?
Wishing I could figure this conundrum out,
Melissa
" 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." ESV
This verse really spoke to me (and no, I'm not claiming the book on God's will was "speaking" to me about my issue). I liked what it had to say and it is very true. You can't love both the world and God. So I was thinking..."Hm... I REALLY love the desires of my flesh and eyes and I do have pride in what I own....so does that mean I don't love God?" That question has haunted me the last couple of days.
Then I was thinking about how I say "I love _______" to everything I like (sometimes things I like a LOT). I love lizards came to mind. I always say I love all the little lizards in Miami. I also love cute small things (like mini animals, dolls, you know, the girly stuff). What the heck? Do I really love these things? Or do I just like them a lot? And for that matter...why do I use the same word for God as I do a lizard or something material?
Wishing I could figure this conundrum out,
Melissa
Friday, January 8, 2010
Bored... with television
Day 1.5 has been fine. However, it has been boring not looking at random crap online. I did not block anything though because I really want to see if I can resist it. Plus, I don't know how to block particular websites. Or maybe, I don't do it because secretly I want to have them there just in case... or... Okay now I am putting too much thought in to it.
The day has been very uneventful so I found myself watching random THS specials on E!. For those who don't know what E! has to offer... this means I spent most of my day watching beautiful celebrities and lots and lots of ads for commercials. Wasn't that tempting, just made me realize how many ads I view per day (or a non-average-bored-on-Christmas-break-day). It seems we spend a lot of time viewing/hearing ads for clothes, perfumes (very disgusting noises for those commercials), and infomercials (especially Proactive and Shamwow!). The one reason I like Disney Channel is because they don't have commercials for anything besides their other shows. I guess that's so because Disney can own everything. Even the commercials.
(Stole this from Corey but..) 1 Tim 6:8 states "But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." I read this on his page like a week ago and it fell right in line with how I was feeling about everything; everything being shopping and things like that. I know of a couple of bible verses about spending money and things like that. Does anyone have any good stories of God showing you how to deal with your money or have any good bible verses about money or being provided for? I'd love to hear them.
Ready to be in sunny Florida,
Melissa
The day has been very uneventful so I found myself watching random THS specials on E!. For those who don't know what E! has to offer... this means I spent most of my day watching beautiful celebrities and lots and lots of ads for commercials. Wasn't that tempting, just made me realize how many ads I view per day (or a non-average-bored-on-Christmas-break-day). It seems we spend a lot of time viewing/hearing ads for clothes, perfumes (very disgusting noises for those commercials), and infomercials (especially Proactive and Shamwow!). The one reason I like Disney Channel is because they don't have commercials for anything besides their other shows. I guess that's so because Disney can own everything. Even the commercials.
(Stole this from Corey but..) 1 Tim 6:8 states "But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." I read this on his page like a week ago and it fell right in line with how I was feeling about everything; everything being shopping and things like that. I know of a couple of bible verses about spending money and things like that. Does anyone have any good stories of God showing you how to deal with your money or have any good bible verses about money or being provided for? I'd love to hear them.
Ready to be in sunny Florida,
Melissa
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
So I have decided to set up a blog for a year about not shopping. Not only do I feel pressures from television, movies and advertising that I need to buy constantly, I feel it in my heart. I have had a shopping "problem" for as long as I can remember. Not particularly the act of shopping, but the desire to. I will spend a long time looking for deals online, comparing prices, and just lusting after things I don't need. I never considered this a problem (besides the lack of $$ in my bank account) until I started walking with God. Even still, I denied it for about the first year. Since then, I have been asking God and myself why I shop. Here's what I came up with:
1. I do it to fit into my subculture (and be an American..)
2. I do it to have something to do
3. I do it because it makes me feel good (this was brought to light by many sources, but lately Don Miller's Blue Like Jazz)
4. I shop because it makes me feel cool and important (I get to tell people about what I bought..)
This past summer I tried to change my buying habits to giving habits. However, I am not fully committed to a church where I can tithe and give regularly so that fell through fairly quickly. I do give each month to an organization called Compassion, but mainly it hasn't helped the problem. Dc Talk's lyric from In the Light state, "Every attempt on my behalf has failed to bring this sickness under control" and that is precisely what I have been doing. I have been trying to set my own limits to this problem rather than looking at it as a heart-problem (sin). I give only to stop shopping, not because my heart is screaming out for the poor. I need God's help rather than trying to help myself. I have a hard time understanding that the money I earn isn't mine, that it belongs to God, and therefore I use it frivolously.
After praying about it and thinking about it I have decided to give up shopping for a year. This includes not only clothes, but things like candles and other crap I don't need. Not only will this be extremely difficult for me to do, it will be hard for me to decipher between want and need. That is why I have eliminated that option by not buying anything. I can by food and that will be it. My only buying will be gifts, and I will probably continue with making gifts (as I usually do).
What I plan to do:
1. Pray.
2. I am setting up a blog to write about this, not just my life (and because hey, I've never had a blog).
3. Write down every time I either say I want something or think I want something (this will be interesting).
I will be writing about what I am learning throughout this process and January 7, 2010 is my very first day. Mainly because I like the number 7, and the 23rd is too far away.
Melissa
1. I do it to fit into my subculture (and be an American..)
2. I do it to have something to do
3. I do it because it makes me feel good (this was brought to light by many sources, but lately Don Miller's Blue Like Jazz)
4. I shop because it makes me feel cool and important (I get to tell people about what I bought..)
This past summer I tried to change my buying habits to giving habits. However, I am not fully committed to a church where I can tithe and give regularly so that fell through fairly quickly. I do give each month to an organization called Compassion, but mainly it hasn't helped the problem. Dc Talk's lyric from In the Light state, "Every attempt on my behalf has failed to bring this sickness under control" and that is precisely what I have been doing. I have been trying to set my own limits to this problem rather than looking at it as a heart-problem (sin). I give only to stop shopping, not because my heart is screaming out for the poor. I need God's help rather than trying to help myself. I have a hard time understanding that the money I earn isn't mine, that it belongs to God, and therefore I use it frivolously.
After praying about it and thinking about it I have decided to give up shopping for a year. This includes not only clothes, but things like candles and other crap I don't need. Not only will this be extremely difficult for me to do, it will be hard for me to decipher between want and need. That is why I have eliminated that option by not buying anything. I can by food and that will be it. My only buying will be gifts, and I will probably continue with making gifts (as I usually do).
What I plan to do:
1. Pray.
2. I am setting up a blog to write about this, not just my life (and because hey, I've never had a blog).
3. Write down every time I either say I want something or think I want something (this will be interesting).
I will be writing about what I am learning throughout this process and January 7, 2010 is my very first day. Mainly because I like the number 7, and the 23rd is too far away.
Melissa
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