Are we just?

Before you go any further in this post you must know I'm NOT passing judgement on anyone.  I'm saying this because Erica's post spoke to me and I know I'm convicted of such.  Use this post as a means of learning about our lives and rethinking them.

We are a society obsessed with stuff.  We think we have a right to own more and more yet other's have so very little.  Erica shares my love of facts!  Here is some facts about our "American spending"-

American spending for 2009

$45 BILLION on their pets yearly. 

$14 BILLION on pornography a year. ($56 BILLION worldwide) 

$345 BILLION on clothes and shoes. Yes CLOTHES! 

Coffee is a $12 BILLION dollar a year industry! 

$15 BILLION a year on bottled water! 

$13 BILLION a year on plastic surgery.

Is anyone else picking their jaw up off of the floor?

I sit here and don't know what to say after looking over these statistics.  I believe they could be a post all by themselves.  Think about how much money a BILLION is.  We spend 15 BILLION dollars on bottled water.  BOTTLED WATER?!!!  Seriously?!  It is something that is basically free for us out of our taps.  We could be sending all that bottled water to those who do NOT have access to clean drinking water!  This makes me just want to go up to America and shake her silly!!!

More than half of our world lives on less than TWO dollars a day. 

Yes you read that correctly, less than 2 dollars.  

How many of us have that much or more in change in our cars?  We spend more on our pets than most have to even eat.  It's not like these people want an extra pair of underwear or that new pair of jeans.  They want to feed their children the one meal the will might get for the day.  

I am so convicted of this very thing.  It is extremely hard for me to look at my wants vs. needs the way American culture wants me to.  How is buying another toy for my son who has a room full or pair of flip flops to add to the collection a need when people across the world are hungry starving?

I am going to copy this straight from Erica.  I couldn't say it any better.

"Put yourself in another mothers place, imagine having to choose not between what cereal you'll feed your child but choosing WHICH of your children gets to eat today."

You go anywhere outside of the U.S. or even in some of the inner cities here IN America and you will see.

We need to help those who have none.  Jesus calls us to it.

"You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Luke 18:22

Social Justice.

rethink your needs . . . I know I am

love

anc

Breathtaking

Mission Trip July 2010

I love these people so much!

I've been meaning to post since getting back from the trip but just haven't known what to say.  To say the trip was amazing would be an understatement.  Serving God like that was breathtaking.  It was nice to focus on Him without the distractions of the world for a week.  Although I missed little man something fierce, I enjoyed the time away to get myself back together.  

Going on the trip made me rethink my calling in this world.  I'm not sure if accounting is where I am meant to be . . . but I'm going to stay with it for this semester at the very least.  Doing so gives me a chance to see if it IS what He wants of me and it makes my family happy.  I know you can serve in any job but I think I see myself in more of a actually service ministry role.  I could be wrong.  Only He knows what I'm called to do!  Maybe, just maybe, I'm talking myself out of accounting because I'm looking for an "easy" out.  

We do not have to go to Africa or South America to do God's work.  But sometimes I feel it would be easier to go there and do it.  Living in America as a Christ follower is straight up difficult.  We are a crazy culture to but it mildly.

Took this picture of little man yesterday.  He is growing up so much.

love
anc

Mowing the Lawn

This evening around six-thirty, I did what people with a yard do~mowed the grass.

Photo taken by my beautiful best friend Abby

This may seem unrelated to anything but it has great significance to me.  I get great time with God when I mow.  I have at least an hour to speak with Him and have no real distractions!  I pray for whoever I think of and whatever comes to mind.  It is a terrific time.  It makes mowing much more entertaining.  Plus it gives me good God time :-)  Next time you mow think about having a conversation with your Heavenly Father, the Lord of all, and the only guarantee in life!  Also I am so thankful for my yard.  Yes it can be a pain to have to go out and mow but I am so blessed for the property I'm on and the wonderful house God has provided for little man and me.

School starts at the end of August.  I have found peace with the decision and it's all through Him!  Accounting still seems scary but I know He will lead me.  I can't just sit around and wait for something to fall into my lap.  It doesn't work that way.  Plus with not being able to find a job, attending school is really my only other option!

I was going to take five classes but decided against it since I'm just getting back into the grove of things.  I will be taking accounting, math, speech, and a general business class that is a prerequisite for everything.  I'm so thankful to be able to get just Tuesday/Thursday classes.  It makes life much easier.

Little man was going to go to the sitter he was at while I had a job but sadly she does not have an opening once school begins.  She was awesome too!  And only a block away :-)  I have found someone who can watch him though and I couldn't be more happy about it!  It is a little out of the way but I know LM will be loved on so much and learn.  The greatest thing about this new sitter is she is such a strong Christian.  I know LM will learn good values while he is there.  She has a daughter that is about four and a son that is two; so LM will have playmates his age!  Not sure the ages of the other children she watches but I'm excited!

Speaking of LM, can I just say he is growing up so much!  He is so handsome and I love being his mommy.

I will be away from him for ten days!  I know it will be very difficult but the reason behind the absence is wonderful.

As I mentioned in my short post, I will be going on a mission trip.  My first ever!  With a group of about fifteen twenty-somethings, I'm going to Antioch, TN to help with flood disaster relief.  Click here to see.  We will be leaving this Sunday after a lunch at church and be gone until Sunday the 18th.  I will post more about it once I've actually experienced it!  Me being able to go is such a God move!

Also in my short post I talked about a bible study.  I'm involved in a Beth Moore study called Breaking Free with college-aged twenty-somethings.  It is a wonderful time to fellowship and know there are others out there my age who believe in our Savior Jesus Christ!  We are on week four and it is such a great study!  Because of this study I already know where some books of the bible are better!  It has been a great way to get me in the habit of having quiet time with God.  

Prayer request!!!!  The single moms group starts on Sunday!  I'm nervous but I know He will be the leader not me!

Here is a picture of my family from our family camping trip

Papa, LM, Mom-mommy, Mommy, Aunt Woo

The shirts were made by my lovely grandma grandma!

They are birds and each has a different theme.

love

anc

short

Going on a mission trip.

Involved in a bible study.

Loving the Lord and leaning on Him more than I ever thought I could.

Life is in His hands.