First world problems
One of the things I enjoy about taking classes with the Vine Institute in Salt Lake City is that the classes are designed to be ethnically diverse. Last year, I met a lady named Francois from Rwanda. This year, it's some guys from Africa. I enjoy listening to them and how they came to America. And that's when I realize I have first world problems.
The thing that bugs me about life is that if I only had what I once had, there is so much good I could do with it. I've learned to live with worn out clothes and broken but still usable stuff. I'm trying as hard as I can to fix the sucking sound that my bank account makes. I buy discount meat. I have learned to be thankful for whatever is put on the table in front of me. I'm a far less picky eater. I no longer yearn to have the best of everything and I haven't ground coffee beans for coffee since treating myself to a pound of coffee last Christmas.
My favorite brand of everything is whatever's on sale. Except ketchup. And mayo. I'd rather do without than scrimp there.
These, my friends, are first world problems. My new classmate, Robert and his family had to literally run for their very lives. He told us the thing that upset him the most is that he'd gotten a new set of clothes for Christmas and only got to wear them once. His family left EVERYTHING but the clothes on their backs when war came to his village.
I live in a great big house in a city. He and his family ran from their home in a village, literally just a short time ahead of guys with guns.
All of a sudden, my little struggles don't look so bad. In the big picture of things, maybe they're not. But they're mine and they affect me where I live.
Someday this nightmare will end. I will have an abundance to share. Giving now is sacrificial. I could do so much more from abundance. That's one of the many lessons I've learned this week from stewardship. Sins have a cost and I'm still paying for the unforeseen consequences of mine.
I'm still hanging onto Joel 2:25. God is gonna restore those years someday. Someday soon, I hope.
In the meantime, I'm probably gonna win my fantasy football matchup this week and the Utes won a thriller last night. Little victories, to be sure, but winning sure feels good!
The thing that bugs me about life is that if I only had what I once had, there is so much good I could do with it. I've learned to live with worn out clothes and broken but still usable stuff. I'm trying as hard as I can to fix the sucking sound that my bank account makes. I buy discount meat. I have learned to be thankful for whatever is put on the table in front of me. I'm a far less picky eater. I no longer yearn to have the best of everything and I haven't ground coffee beans for coffee since treating myself to a pound of coffee last Christmas.
My favorite brand of everything is whatever's on sale. Except ketchup. And mayo. I'd rather do without than scrimp there.
These, my friends, are first world problems. My new classmate, Robert and his family had to literally run for their very lives. He told us the thing that upset him the most is that he'd gotten a new set of clothes for Christmas and only got to wear them once. His family left EVERYTHING but the clothes on their backs when war came to his village.
I live in a great big house in a city. He and his family ran from their home in a village, literally just a short time ahead of guys with guns.
All of a sudden, my little struggles don't look so bad. In the big picture of things, maybe they're not. But they're mine and they affect me where I live.
Someday this nightmare will end. I will have an abundance to share. Giving now is sacrificial. I could do so much more from abundance. That's one of the many lessons I've learned this week from stewardship. Sins have a cost and I'm still paying for the unforeseen consequences of mine.
I'm still hanging onto Joel 2:25. God is gonna restore those years someday. Someday soon, I hope.
In the meantime, I'm probably gonna win my fantasy football matchup this week and the Utes won a thriller last night. Little victories, to be sure, but winning sure feels good!
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