goddess of thrift

Thrift, Painting and Giving Our Best

The rough concrete walls had been coated in white just a few days before our arrival . . . a stark contrast from other walls in the building, scarred and crumbling, yet to be repaired and restored.  Mandarina School, in the La Limonada ghetto in Guatemala City, was where we would be painting our mural.  We planned to include the children of the school on the project, to give them ownership and hope.  Over a year of thrifty living had enabled us to save the money to make this trip possible. . . and to buy paint and brushes.  Now, it was time.

What started as a color study on paper ended up being a forest scene nearly 50 feet long.  As soon as the rough outlines were drawn, we designated color areas which the children began filling in with paint.  For some of them, it was their first time painting.  We were amazed by their focus . . . their intensity . . . their attention to detail.  This mattered to them.

My husband and I worked continuously on the project Thursday and Friday.  Staff members and students would pick up brushes and work with us.  Saturday Tita, the director of the ministry, brought her 9-year-old son Moishe, and the four of us painted for three hours.  Monday would be our last day at the school, and I didn't see how we would get finished.

I've heard it said that a true test of faith is when you take on something that will fail if God doesn't show up.  Sunday, I was praying He would be there.  Had I taken on more than I could manage?  Was I, in my arrogance, kidding myself to think that we could accomplish such a big project in such a small amount of time?  I tried not to panic, knowing all along that this project wasn't about me.  Still, I felt uncertain . . .

Monday we opened the paint cans and began again.  The other five members of our team came in, and all of them picked up brushes and painted.  My throat tightened as I realized that God had meant for every one of us to play a part . . . that there was no inessential contribution. 

Part way through the day, the rest of the team was going out to tour the ghetto and visit some homes.  When Pat, one of our team members, asked if we would go, I told him I wanted to, but no.  I could hear Jesus saying: "Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me."  I told Pat: "I'm doing this for Jesus.  I want it to be my best."

Sometimes, a project is finished because you run out of time to do more, and that was the case with our mural.  As a painter, I could have added layers of detail for another week.  Yet, what all of us were able to create was beautiful, because the Body of Christ came together to accomplish what one or two people could not do alone.  Even more, the beauty came from each painter giving his or her best. 

This project is for you, Jesus.  We pray that by blessing the children of Mandarina, it will bless you, and make you smile.

--Susan Rodebush  ©  2009

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From a Christian Perspective: Thrift and the Smallest of Gifts

     It was already starting to get dark outside when my phone rang.  My friend Sandy, who was leaving the next morning for a short-term mission trip to Cuba, was calling to see if I had any last-minute donations for her to take.  "What kinds of things are you looking for?" I asked.  She told me she wanted toiletries, hand-sewing supplies and dress shirts for the pastors she would be visiting.  I told her I'd look around to see what I could gather up, and would stop over.

     In all honesty, I wasn't particularly enthused about going anywhere that evening, but I got a few small plastic bags, and checked my pantry for extra toothpaste, soap, deodorant and bandages.  In my studio, I found several spools of thread, one of those hotel sewing kits with five threaded needles and a few pins, an extra pair of scissors, and various small sewing notions.  My husband had a few seldom-worn dress shirts which he added to the bags, and I drove with them the four miles to Sandy's home.  When I saw that she had items strewn everywhere around the open suitcases in her living room, I stayed for an hour or so to help her pack.

     A few weeks later, I visited her again to hear about her trip.  She told me about the various people she had met, including a woman named Marguerite who had set aside one room of her tiny home to teach other young women marketable skills.  She taught them to sew, and to type on several very old typewriters she had acquired.  Sandy said that, when she gave Marguerite the sewing supplies I had sent, she began to cry.  "Why?"  I asked.  "Was there something wrong with them?"  "No," my friend replied, and her eyes began to water.  "Marguerite has been teaching 7 or 8 women to type and to sew, but before she received your gift, she only had one needle."

     My eyes filled as well, as I thought back to how I had somewhat grudgingly gathered items to donate from surplus that I would never miss.  Yet, God transformed this woman's ministry through a gift of five needles in a hotel sewing kit.  It was humbling to realize that, in spite of my far-from-perfect attitude, He was willing to use me to meet her need.

     Ever since that experience, which happened quite a few years ago, God has altered my perspective about how big a gift is required to change someone's life.  Small, ongoing acts of thrift are easy to make when I think about the needles, and remember that God can use the quarter I save on a can of tomatoes to meet someone's need. He can use the thousands of quarters I save, over time, to meet many needs.  I'm pretty confident that He can use your quarters as well.

    Mother Teresa said:  "We can do no great things, only small things with great love."  This is not to say that we should never attempt to effect great change (or make large donations) for the Kingdom.  But the countless small choices we can make out of love to free up our time, talents and resources to meet the needs of others are opportunities available to each and every one of us. 

     May we be a people who grow in our willingness to lay all of our gifts, large and small, at the feet of the One who can do "immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20), to His glory.

--Susan Rodebush  ©  2009

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From a Christian Perspective -- Thrift and Sacrifice

     Her clothing was coarse and simple, and there was nothing about her appearance which was particularly noteworthy.  As the wealthy moved past her, she simply dropped off her small gift, and left.  Her actions were invisible -- much as she was -- to the others around her.  But Jesus noticed her donation of two, small copper coins, and stopped, pointing out her actions to His disciples:  "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." (Luke 21: 2-3 NIV)

     Luke doesn't elaborate any further in his report.  We are left knowing little more than the fact that a poor widow made a great sacrifice in giving everything she had to live on, and that Jesus considered it a greater gift than those given out of surplus.  But there is so much information we don't get in this account.  Did Jesus expound further to his disciples about her sacrifice . . . or her trust in God?  Was this the first time she had made such a large -- for her -- gift, or was it her regular practice?  What was her day-to-day life like, that she had such faith in God's provision?  What happened next?

     It is difficult for us to fathom making a sacrifice to God of everything we have to live on.  But, really, doesn't it all come from Him?  Doesn't it all belong to Him?  Would any of us have anything to live on were it not for the provision of talents, intellects, jobs and opportunities which comes from God?  Is the main difference between us and the poor widow the fact that she realized her total dependence on God . . . and we don't?

     In our self-reliant culture, it is one thing to intellectually acknowledge that we are dependent on God for provision, and another thing entirely to trust God for our provision.  Before we are willing to forgo our luxuries, we must trust that God is faithful to provide fulfillment which exceeds the momentary pleasures our luxuries bring.  Before we are able to sacrifice more and more of our abundance to the advancement of His kingdom, we must trust that God, who knows what we need before we ask, is faithful to provide for our needs as we release our resources to Him.

     But what happened to the poor widow after she gave her gift?  Did she return home, and quietly die of starvation?  Did Jesus only care about her as a teaching illustration?  Do we believe Jesus would acknowledge her great sacrifice, but ignore her great need?

     Ultimately, employing thrift to free up resources for the Kingdom is a matter of trust.  In order to trust God, we have to learn, as the widow did, that God is trustworthy.  We have to believe, as she did, that our needs will be met when we release our resources to God.  And we have to allow our hearts to be transformed, by His Spirit, that we may grow in our understanding of His great faithfulness.

     May we become a transformed people, who joyfully release all we have to God, knowing in the depths of our hearts that He is always and forever faithful, and worthy of our trust.

--Susan Rodebush  ©  2009

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From a Christian Perspective -- Thrift and the 10-Minute Window

     Through a misunderstanding, I had missed a morning appointment, and was able to reschedule it for that afternoon.  Since I hadn't eaten lunch, when my appointment was finished I decided to stop by a local grocery store to buy a cup of yogurt to tide me over until I returned home.  While I was standing in line to check out, a woman who had already paid turned to those of us in line and said:  "You ladies need to go back to the meat case and check out those $2.00 hams."  Three of us left the line and walked back to the meat department, where the clerk was still marking down several hams, with that day's sale date, to $2.00 each.  We each got two or three, returned to the line to check out, paid and left the store.

     As soon as I returned home, two of the hams went directly into our freezer, and I prepared part of the third ham for supper.  I had purchased a total of 10 pounds of ham for $.60/pound, and thanked God for providing such a great deal for our family.  As I thought about the purchase, I realized that the opportunity had occurred within a 10 minute window.  Had I arrived at the store 10 minutes sooner -- or later -- the hams either wouldn't have been marked down yet, or they would have been gone.  If I had kept the morning appointment as originally scheduled, I probably wouldn't have stopped at the store at all.  Do I believe God "made" me miss my early appointment?  Of course not.  But I do think He provided me with an opportunity to receive provision from Him.

     In these prosperous United States, I believe most of us have lost the connection between our "daily bread" -- or ham -- and God's provision.  Some people might think that my opportunity to purchase deeply discounted food was merely a coincidence.  Yet James 1:17 tells us: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights" (NIV - emphasis mine).  As our family has made an effort -- admittedly a very imperfect effort -- to submit our finances and resources to God, it has been amazing to us how many "10 minute windows" we have encountered.  I don't believe these opportunities are coincidence, but rather the gracious provision of a loving Father.

     Let us be a people who boldly release all we have to God, trusting that, as we do, He is faithful to provide for our every need.  Then let us recognize, and rejoice, and give Him thanks for each and every 10-minute window He provides.

--Susan Rodebush  © 2009

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From a Christian Perspective -- God and our Lunch Money

     They stretch out before us, as we picture them in our minds:  a seemingly endless line of the needy, the hungry and the broken . . . women, men and children who are crying to us for help.  "There are so many of them, and their need is so great," we tell ourselves.  "What difference can one person possibly make?" 

     Moving back in time hundreds of years, we stand on a grassy hillside.  A young Jewish teacher and his followers are confronting a great need.  There is a vast crowd before them, restless and hungry, who have come to hear the Teacher's message.  But his followers know that the needs of the masses have to be addressed . . . and soon.  They say to the teacher:  "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late.  Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food."  But the teacher -- Jesus -- replies:  "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat." (Matthew 14:15-16 NIV)

     They respond (and can you hear the panic in their voices?):  "That would take eight months of a man's wages!  Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?"  "How many loaves do you have?"  he asks.  "Go and see." (Mark 6:37-38 NIV - emphasis mine)

     Another of his disciples, Andrew . . . speaks up:  "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two fish, but how far will they go among so many?" (John 6:8 NIV)

     "Bring them here to me," he [Jesus] says.  (Matthew 14:18 NIV)  We know what happens next.  Jesus blesses and multiplies the bread and fish,  and five thousand men, and perhaps as many women and children, eat until they are full . . . and there are leftovers!  Lots and lots of leftovers.

     We don't, any one of us, have the resources -- money, time or energy -- to meet all of the needs in the world.  But how often do we let ourselves conclude that we haven't enough bread (pun intended) to begin to meet the needs of so many . . . and therefore, do nothing?  But what did Jesus ask His disciples, and what is He asking us?  "How many do you have?  Go and see."  We can take an honest look at the abundance with which God has blessed us. . .take inventory.  But then comes the hard part, and this time, it isn't a question, but a command:  "Bring them here to me."  The boy may not have wanted to give up his lunch, and may not have really had a choice.  But when the available resources were surrendered to Jesus, everyone, including the boy, had enough.  God doesn't ask us to meet every need, and in fact, God doesn't ask us to meet any need without His help.  But He may be asking us to give Him our lunch -- or lunch money -- for Him to use to meet the needs of others.

     I come away from reading this account with two thoughts.  First, it was Jesus, not his disciples, who took what was offered and turned it into enough.   The disciples were simply asked to contribute what they could . . . we give, and God multiplies.  Also, I wonder about the boy who had given up his bread and fish.  What happened in his heart that day, as a result of seeing what Jesus did?  Did he become one of Jesus' followers?  Did he sit and tell his grandchildren, years later:  "I gave my lunch to Jesus, and He used it to feed a huge crowd"?  Did he know in his heart, from that day on, that if he offered what he had to God, God was faithful to meet his needs as well?

     May we be willing to give up our lunch -- or lunch money -- if God asks for it.  May we be a people who will surrender what we have to God, without deciding that it's too little to make a difference, trusting that He is faithful to use it to satisfy the hunger of others. . . and, in doing so, to satisfy our hunger as well. 

--Susan Rodebush  © 2009

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From a Christian Perspective -- Thrift and Self-Denial

     When I read a passage from the bible, I try to ask God how it applies to my life.  When the words are those of Jesus, I want to pay special attention, and a passage of scripture -- words spoken by Jesus -- has been pressing in on my heart and mind lately.  In Luke 9:23-25 (NLT) Jesus says:  "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.  If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.  But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.  And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?"  The New International Version, in place of the words "turn from your selfish ways", uses the phrase "must deny himself".  Apparently the gospel writers considered this an important teaching of Jesus:  the same passage appears in Matthew 16:24-26 and Mark 8:34-36.  Only the gospel of Luke, however, contains that single, gripping word:  daily.

     So what does it mean for me to deny myself -- to turn from my selfish ways -- daily?  Again, I have to turn to the word surrender. . .to the acknowledgment that, apart from Jesus and the intervention of His Spirit, I can do nothing.  Before I can even consider self-denial, I have to receive the grace from Him to desire self-denial. Then, with that desire, I can yield to him every resource I have:  my time, my talents, my money, my service and (here is where it gets tough) my comfort.  Each day, then, my prayer becomes:  "Lord, here I am.  Everything I am and I have is yours.  How would you have me use my resources today?"

     The definition of thrift I really like is:  "wise economy in the management of money and other resources."  (Answers.com)  As a Christian, wisdom in the management of my resources must be God-directed.  As He guides me in the use of my time, money and talents, He will automatically lead me to "act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly" with my God (Micah 6:8 NIV).  In this context, self-denial becomes joy, because I am living, spending and serving in accordance with His will. 

     Now, obviously, I am not doing this perfectly: this surrender-thing . . . this self-denial thing.  It is a continual battle against the voice of selfishness and the voice of our culture (which may be one and the same voice):  the whining question in my head which asks "but what about ME???"  Yet, as I surrender to God's leading and His will, I find that I desire to feed the hungry, to quench the thirst of those who have no clean drinking water, to share the resources I have with those who need to see the love of Christ in action in order to know that His love is real.

     May you and I, daily, surrender to His will, that our resources may be used with wise economy, for the good of others, to His glory.

--Susan Rodebush  © 2009

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From a Christian Perspective -- Spending and the Blind Spot

     Driving at dusk, you notice that the cars in the oncoming lane have their headlights on, and reach over to flip the switch.  Glancing in the mirror, you simultaneously flick your turn signal and begin a lane change, when the sudden blare of a horn startles you and you swerve back into your previous lane.  The driver of the black Toyota glares at you as he zooms past, and although you are not that good at lip reading, you are pretty sure you know what he's saying.

     The blind spot.  We learned about it in Driver's Ed years ago:  that area next to your car where you momentarily lose sight of traffic behind you.   We all learned how to avoid hitting someone in the blind spot:  head check.  A simple turn of the head can assure us that there is not car coming up in the lane next to us, and that it's safe to move over.  But do we always head check before changing lanes?  Perhaps some do, but I suspect that many of us (and I am one) often just glance in the mirror and assume everything is okay.  We are confident about what we know, and maybe a little careless about what we don't know.

     Many of us have financial blind spots as well.  We assume that there is plenty of money to go out to dinner, buy concert tickets, or purchase new running shoes.  We have a general idea of our financial status, and know that the bills are paid (or will be,) but we haven't really looked to verify our assumptions.  Sometimes our assumptions are correct, and we can spend easily, without visible consequence.  Other times we end up creating financial "accidents" -- overdrawn checking accounts, or late fees on bills on which we delay  payment -- or end up shaving money from a long-term goal, like retirement savings, or from a worthwhile category, like charitable giving. 

     What is it about us that causes us to not look?  When I'm driving, if I'm honest, it's either laziness, or the assumption that I know more than I actually do, which keeps me from turning my head to check when I change lanes.  It is also, if I'm even more honest, a disregard for the needs or safety of others.   Financially, it can also be laziness, or the mistaken assumption that the money is mine to do with as I please . . . which is also, in a way, a disregard for the needs of others. 

     The problem with this way of thinking, this disregard for others, is that our responsibility as drivers is to consider the safety of others.  In the same way, as Christians, everything we own comes from God and is to be used as He directs, which often means using the money He provides to us to help meet the needs of others.  When we don't look at where our money is going, and ask God to direct the use of each and every dollar, we can end up spending carelessly, selfishly . . . and often, excessively.

     This doesn't mean that we can't spend anything on ourselves.  God is not a cosmic killjoy, but the giver of all good gifts, and He provides graciously for His children.  What it does mean is that we need to choose to look to God when we spend, asking Him to direct us to use our resources in the best possible way, and to show us when the money we might spend on ourselves would be better spent on others.  Not only will life be a more enjoyable journey when we do this, but we will have the opportunity to some day stand before Him and hear Him say:  "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat . . ."  (Matthew 25:34-35 NIV)

--Susan Rodebush  ©  2009

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10 Easy Ways to Find More Money to Give

     (I initially wrote this post a few hours before attending Dave Ramsey's "Town Hall for Hope", and was encouraged to hear him urging those listening to find more ways to give to others.  I would attribute my apparent clairvoyance to my status as a small-g goddess, but actually, giving is part of the mission of each and every Christian.)

     We would all like to be more generous with others, but often feel like there is no extra cash to donate to worthy causes.  If we look closely at our ongoing expenditures, however, most of us can find numerous places to identify money to share with those in need.  Consider the following: 

 l)  Skip one meal (fast), or have the entire family skip a meal.  Use the normal meal time to give thanks for all you have, and to pray for those in need.  Set aside the money you would have spent and donate it.  (Just don't binge on double the food at the following meal!) 

 2)  Ride-share, carpool, or cluster errands into fewer trips.  Calculate how much you would have spent on travel expenses and set it aside to donate.

 3)  Share a DVD rental service (like Netflix) with a friend, neighbor or co-worker, and split the cost.  You will both need to be considerate about sharing and prompt return of materials, but you will also both save money.  OR. . .

 4)  Rent DVD's from the library at no charge, and donate what you would have spent on rentals.  You may have to wait a little longer to view recent releases, but most libraries purchase new releases shortly after they hit the market.  Of course, if you're not good about returning things on time, this one might not be for you.

 5)  If you regularly eat out after church or other meetings with friends, plan a pot-luck instead, and have everyone in the group donate the money they would have spent on the restaurant meal to a designated charity.  This could become a monthly tradition, and friends could take turns hosting.  If four couples normally spend $30 each on restaurant meals, this could provide over $100 to a local food pantry, drop-in program, or para-church ministry.

 6)  Depending on your normal spending, shave $5 - $10 (or more) from your monthly clothing budget, entertainment budget and/or grocery budget, and set it aside to donate.  You'll probably find that you won't miss that small amount for just one month, and you can feel good about helping others with it.

 7)  Be more diligent about turning off lights, unplugging unused electronics (using "phantom loads",) running the dryer for the shortest cycle possible (and getting clothing out right away so you don't need to repeatedly "fluff" them), and doing only full loads of dishes in the dishwasher.  Figure the savings over what you would normally spend, and donate it.  You'll also be more environmentally conscious by reducing your energy usage at the same time!

 8)  If you buy lottery tickets (I won't go into what I think about lottery tickets!) cut your normal purchases in half and donate the difference.  Or, designate a time period to forgo purchasing tickets completely, and donate that amount.  When you give to others, you win every time!

 9)  Find ways to borrow things instead of needing to own them.  Share tools with friends, download only music you absolutely love (and borrow/lend CD's and downloads,) and check books and magazines out of the library.  The fewer magazines you purchase, the more money you will save, and you won't need to recycle them or, worse, send them to the landfill.

10)  Identify the ongoing luxury purchases in your life, and reduce your consumption of those items in order to donate the difference.  If you crave Godiva, will a Hershey bar do?  Or can you purchase the Godiva only half as frequently?  You don't have to eliminate all luxuries, but limiting them in order to share with others will give you (almost) the same sense of gratification as consuming them yourself, and the sacrifice of a luxury can help to provide a necessity for someone in need.

--Susan Rodebush  © 2009

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From a Christian Perspective: Thrift and Legacy

     In their recent book, "Spend 'til The End", economics professor Laurence J. Kotlikoff and finance columnist Scott Burns ask the question, "Why work hard your whole life and die without spending what you have earned?"  Despite the title of the book, I was stunned by this question.  Spending, it seems, at least in the minds of these authors, is the ultimate goal of a lifetime of hard work.  Kotlikoff and Burns continue with the assumption that "We want to live at the highest and safest [financial] level given our resources and tolerance for risk. " ("Spend 'til The End", p.19.)

     Given our culture's penchant for personal gratification, this point of view shouldn't come as a surprise.  As Americans, we have an almost endless supply of goods and services available to meet every need, want, whim and level of spending.  We can buy high-end, sexy techno-gadgets which will guide us to the best sushi bars, help us remember birthdays and locate our cars when we forget where we parked.  (You want duck sauce for your spring roll?  There's an ap for that.)  I'm not saying that it's evil to purchase or own one of these gadgets; I wouldn't mind owning one myself.  But if our goals include spending every dime we ever make to own every item we ever want, to live at the highest standard of living possible, we will have no difficulty finding companies and individuals who will assist us in meeting that goal.  And, at the "end", we'll have a really, really big, really cool pile of 'stuff'.

     Now, obviously, money exists for a purpose, and I am not suggesting that it is to be hoarded.  Neither do I believe that leaving a huge chunk of money to our children is always in their best interest.  The inheritance described in Old Testament times was often one of land and livestock, and insured against widows and their children becoming destitute, with no means of provision.  Yes, wealth was considered a blessing from God, and it still is.  But the legacy we are to leave our children is as much one of Godly character as anything else.  There is a blessing inherent in that legacy which extends far beyond mere purchasing power.

     Each of us will, at some point, reach his last day of life.  As much as we might sometimes wish, there is no quantity of "Anti-aging cream" which can forestall that fact.  We're all gonna die.  Up until that point, we have resources of time, health, money, energy and talent which we can hoard, invest or squander.  Up until that point, we can indulge our cravings and seek an ever-increasing standard of living, or we can invest our resources in things that are eternal.  We can deliberately limit our standards of living through thrift in order to have more to share, or spend all that we have on our personal, momentary pleasure, amassing an ever-enlarging pile of stuff.  But Jesus warned us:  "Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot."  (Luke 12:15b, MSG)

    So, how will we define our lives?  Rather than spending until the end, let's choose to invest until the end. I pray that we will choose to use all of our resources wisely, not simply for our own pleasure and comfort, but also to help others . . . to make the world a better place . . . to pour ourselves into the advancement of the Kingdom of God, on earth as it is in heaven.  Let's leave a legacy of sharing and service and pass it on to our children, to the glory of our Lord and Savior.

--Susan Rodebush  © 2009

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From a Christian Perspective -- We Have to Do the Math

     The speaker that Sunday was in his requisite corporate attire -- dark blue suit, white shirt, "power" tie -- and was preaching on the topic of stewardship.  We knew he had graduated from seminary and had been ordained as a minister in his twenties, but had subsequently gone to work in middle management at a blue chip company.  We were hoping that his experiences in both ministry and business would help us unravel the mysteries of personal finance.

     "The secret" he said "to good stewardship, which is really not a secret, is to spend less than you make."  Finally, I thought, someone will explain to me the steps I need to follow to manage my income and expenses.  "Although, I must admit. . ." he continued, ". . .that I've never quite figured out how to do that in my own life."  He went on to tell us that we needed to give to the church "in faith, trusting that God will provide for you."

     Now, this man meant well, and there was truth in his admonition to trust God for provision.  Ultimately it is God who provides everything we have.  But I have since come to regard his approach to money as "magical Christian thinking". . .somehow, by giving charitably, we are relieved of all other personal responsibility when it comes to managing money.  Give, and trust God, and somehow the numbers will all work out.  We are therefore exempt from making tough choices about our wants, needs and acquisitions.

     Because God is more concerned with our character than our comfort, He calls us to make wise choices. . .which are not always easy choices.  He has given us the freedom,  and the responsibility,  to choose industry over laziness. . .love over hatred. . .service over selfishness. . .and contentment over greed.  We are free to choose His way, or our own.  We are free to choose His way. . .or the way of our culture, which operates on the basis of unlimited consumption.  He is always there to help us in the pursuit of godly choices, but He will not push us against our will.  The choice is ultimately ours, and ours alone.

     On a practical basis this means that, at some point, we have to do the math.  As much as we might like God to magically provide everything we want, (and I am not exempt from sometimes wanting the magic,) we will never learn to spend less than we make unless we sit down with our check stubs and a calculator and create a financial plan.  Sometimes we have to choose between high-speed Internet and health insurance, or between gourmet dinners and giving.

     There are plenty of budgeting tools* available to use in crunching our personal numbers, but the trick is, we have to actually use them.  I am not, by nature, a numbers-geek, nor do I gain any personal pleasure from creating spreadsheets.  But I do desire to be obedient to the mission God has for my life, and I can't do that if I'm distracted by the storms of personal financial chaos.  Neither can you.

     When we make the decision to spend less than we make, we may not end up with all of the stuff we might want.  There will always be an unlimited supply of stuff, and an unlimited supply of people wanting to sell us their stuff.  But what we can end up with is freedom.  We can gain freedom from financial stress. . .freedom from the phone calls of creditors and collectors. . .freedom to give.  Ultimately, and most importantly, we can gain freedom from the financial burdens which inhibit us from finding, and following, God's mission for each of our lives.

*Check at www.goodsenseministry.com or www.daveramsey.com for budgeting resources.

--Susan Rodebush © 2009

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From a Christian Perspective: Does this Dress Make My Bottom Line Look Big?

     At an art show about a week ago, I commented to one of the vendors that her dress was cute.  "Oh. . ." she gushed, "It's (Insert Name of Pricey Designer.)"  She expressed no thanks for the compliment, but apparently delighted in having her designer apparel noticed by a complete stranger.  Perhaps she felt that my compliment helped justify the hefty price tag her dress had carried . . . obviously, judging by what I was wearing (jeans and a blazer of my dad's from the 1950's) she couldn't have thought I was thinking about getting one for myself. . .she didn't bother to mention where she had purchased it.  I walked away feeling, once again, a little mystified about the things our culture considers important.

     Lest you think I'm opposed to designer clothing labels, I'll confess that I have a number of designer items hanging in my own closet (purchased at thrift stores.)  If I see an item I like, I'll buy it if it fits and looks good.  A high-end label does, to me, imply a reasonable standard of quality in construction.  The thrift stores I frequent charge no more for these items than for ones originally sold at discount stores.  Do I feel like I've "beaten the system" when I get these deals. . .well, yes, a little.  Am I immune to caring how I'm perceived by total strangers?  If I'm honest, often no more than anyone else.  I'm capable of being every bit as vulnerable to marketing as the woman-with-the-cute-dress.

     While I believe that it is important to maintain one's outward appearance, I've sometimes placed more emphasis on personal appearance than personal character.  We can all identify the external symbols of financial success, such as certain cars, clothing, houses, jewelry and electronics.  Even though we realize that there is often a difference between symbols of affluence and actual wealth, it's hard not to participate in the charade.  Yet, when I see what evokes the most heartfelt response in people, it is often virtue, not affluence, that grabs our attention.  The expensive couture gown worn at the Grammy Awards is soon forgotten, but we're still talking about the courage and humility of an airline crew who brought their passengers to a safe water landing.  We can't remember the face of the latest TV actor on the "Entertainment" program. . .but we'll never forget the face of the young firefighter who was photographed walking up the stairs in the World Trade Center.  Externals create momentary interest, but virtue speaks to our souls.

     Why should a blog discussing thrift talk about virtue?  How is it relevant in a discussion of personal finances?  Because ultimately, our spending reflects what we value.  Jesus said:  "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matt. 6:21 - NIV)  We express, and reinforce, our personal values (and by extension, our personal character) each and every time we spend.  What can help us align our spending with our true values is to ask ourselves:  "At the end of my life, how do I want to have spent my time, my talents and my resources?"  When we figure out who we want to become, and work our way 'back to the present', we can evaluate all of our spending based upon our ultimate goals.  Thrifty spending helps me focus my values less on externals and more on my mission.

     Let me mention, by the way, that it is not my assignment from God to evaluate the values or spending of others.  While I believe that Christians, as a group, are called to spend their resources as God directs, each individual is responsible to determine how that affects his or her "bottom line".  The woman with the "cute dress" was mentioned only to make a point; I don't really know her, and it's not my job to judge her or her purchases.  Her dress simply reminds me how desperately I need the grace of God, and His transforming power, to better align my own values with His.

-- Susan Rodebush © 2009

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From a Christian Perspective: Thoughts on Gratitude

     The heat is brutal. . .and the sun, relentless.  A band of nomads, walking beside their camels, makes its way across the African Sahara.  They will walk fourteen to fifteen hours a day for two weeks, always keeping the sun to their right.  They follow the lines the wind makes in the sand, for there are no other landmarks.  When they reach their destination, they will gather salt, mold it into "pillars", load it onto their camels, and return.  The salt is needed for seasoning and preserving food, and to restore to the body minerals lost from perspiration.  The nomads will barter their salt for tomatoes, millet and dates.  When their food supplies begin to run low later this year, they will make their Saharan journey yet again.

     Here in the United States, millet is one of the ingredients we use in birdseed.  We don't need to salt most foods to preserve them because we have refrigeration.  Many of us don't do enough physical work to perspire, and when the weather gets hot, we crank up the air conditioner.  As a result, we have to monitor our sodium intake so that we don't end up with hypertension.  Any salt we desire to use for seasoning we can purchase at the grocery store for less than fifty cents per pound.

     We have become so accustomed to the many amenities we enjoy -- electricity, indoor plumbing, luxurious vehicles and homes, a seemingly-endless selection of food options -- that we forget that a vast number of the world's people live without these things, and will probably never have most of them.  It often takes a power outage, or some other calamity, for us to realize how much we take for granted.  I, too, have difficulty remembering, on a daily basis, to be grateful for all I have.

    Yet gratitude is a key -- perhaps the key -- to motivate us to change our spending habits.  When we are grateful for all that we already have we can experience a place many Americans never encounter.  That place is "enough".  We may still continue to make purchases for ourselves and our families, but the more often we realize we already have "enough", the more resources we will have to generously share with others.  Thrift strategies become tools we use to assure that there is always "enough".  By using these strategies to shop wisely, or limit purchases, or create a less-expensive solution to a problem, we can have time and money left over to meet other needs.

     Gratitude comes as we realize that everything we have and are -- from our intellects, to our work ethics, to our families of origin, to the privilege of being born in the United States -- comes to us as a gift from God.  As Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthians 9:10:  "For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat.  In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you." (NLT) 

     I pray that God will open our eyes to fully see and appreciate all we have been given, so that in our gratitude, we can grow in generosity, to His glory.

-- Susan Rodebush ©  2009

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From a Christian Perspective: Thoughts on Entitlement

     At times I've heard people talk about someone who has an "entitlement mentality".  Typically, they are referring to a person who expects governmental services such as food 'stamps' or other subsidies; someone who has grown up in the welfare system.

     Yet, given trends in marketing over the past 20 to 30 years, it seems that an entitlement mentality has been encouraged in all Americans.  This trend might not promote government programs, but it does invite ongoing, immediate gratification at any cost.  'Just do it.'  'You owe it to yourself.'  'I want it all, and I want it now.'  We have gotten so used to this attitude over time that we often don't realize that, subtly, we have come to expect such gratification as a right.  We even believe (haven't we been told?) that we deserve it.

     Sadly, most Christians in the United States share this tendency with other Americans.  Sure, we try to live by biblical values, like avoiding theft, murder and sexual immorality, but when it comes to material consumption, are we really any different than anyone else?

     Now, before I come across as sanctimonious, let me readily admit that I also struggle with feeling like I deserve a nice (I use the word "dependable") car, a climate-controlled, comfortable (all right, beautiful) home, fashionable clothing, and on and on.  Now that my son has a flat-screen tv, mine seems too small.  If I let myself, I can fixate on stuff.  Not eternal stuff, but worldly, material stuff that, if I'm honest, I often believe I deserve.

    I really like the way The Message version of the bible translates 1 John 2:15-17:  "Don't love the world's ways.  Don't love the world's goods.  Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father.  Practically everything that goes on in the world - wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important - has nothing to do with the Father.  It just isolates you from him.  The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out - but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity."

     I'm pretty sure that freedom from wanting is a process which, in most cases (definitely mine) will take a lifetime to complete.  But when I acknowledge that everything I have is God's - and allow him to direct where and how it is used - I move a little farther along in the process.  Thrift can be a tool I use in that process to deliberately control the importance I place on material stuff.  By putting some restraints on my spending for material goods, I can make more available for kingdom purposes.

     I pray that you, and I, and the rest of the church which calls Jesus "Lord", will allow the Father to change our hearts as we submit our finances, and our desires, to him.

-- Susan Rodebush  © 2009

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From a Christian Perspective: Thoughts on Thrift

     For me, saving  money is about more than my personal "bottom line", although there is nothing wrong with focusing on getting my (or your) financial "house" in order.  In the long run, though, I want my life to be about something that is bigger than my own comfort and convenience.  To me, it would be a tragedy if the best thing people could think to say about me after I died was:  "She was always comfortable."  So, one of the first things I've had to do in order to find more money for the needs of others is to learn contentment.  The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:11-13:  ". . .I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength."  (NIV - emphasis mine.)  Now, I would be kidding myself, and you, if I claimed to have perfected living in contentment.  Those who know me well know that I am still very much in the learning process.  But, I have grown in the area of contentment, not because I have "willed" myself to do so, but because God has been faithful to change my heart as I have allowed Him.  It is the power of Christ which transforms me:  it is His work to change me, and my work to let him.  It is my prayer that you, and I, will continue to grow in contentment in order to free up resources to advance His Kingdom, for His glory.

--Susan Rodebush     © 2009

All materials in this blog are copyrighted and may not be reproduced or distributed without permission.