On Saturday April 18, 2009, Rebuilding Together will have a work day.
When I was a freshman in college, I did this and I had a blast. I want to do it again. I wonder if there is anyone who would volunteer with me. :-)
www.rebuildingtogethervalparaiso.org
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Love and Forgiveness
Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.
Luke 7:47 (NRSV)
I read this verse a few days ago, and the last sentence really struck me. I know from the context that in this verse Jesus is saying that those who recieve little forgiveness will not love as much as one who recieves great forgiveness, but the first five times I read, I read it much differently.
The way I interpreted it the first time was more like: those who forgive little, love little; or in other words those who are quick to withhold forgiveness are not people who have a lot of love as opposed to someone who forgives more easily.
I don't know why I read it this way, but when I did it just struck me as true. If I am quick to withhold forgiveness, can I really say I have a lot of love?
Luke 7:47 (NRSV)
I read this verse a few days ago, and the last sentence really struck me. I know from the context that in this verse Jesus is saying that those who recieve little forgiveness will not love as much as one who recieves great forgiveness, but the first five times I read, I read it much differently.
The way I interpreted it the first time was more like: those who forgive little, love little; or in other words those who are quick to withhold forgiveness are not people who have a lot of love as opposed to someone who forgives more easily.
I don't know why I read it this way, but when I did it just struck me as true. If I am quick to withhold forgiveness, can I really say I have a lot of love?
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Together We Can Change the World
I saw a commercial recently talking about how one dollar could give a person in Africa clean water for a whole year, and only 30 dollars could give several families clean water for a year.
It stuck out to me how they seemed to emphasize that it's only 30 dollars, or only one dollar can help one person for a whole year... They emphasize how little it takes on our part to make a huge impact on a persons life.
So I started wondering what it would cost to impact an entire community, a country, a continent. I don't know if its just me, but I wanted to see what an impact would look like on a grand scale. Sure I want to make a difference for the individual, but I want to do something much more grand than just that. I think a lot of people do.
Sometimes I just want to shout "Don't tell me how my pocket change can impact one life, tell me how I can sacrifice myself to really make a difference!" I think it's just the idea of doing something so much bigger than myself and being a part of the grand adventure. It's the idea that I see worth and importance in other people in such a way that I am willing to put them before my own needs and pleasures for a time.
I've been trying to do a little research on what it would cost to build one well in another country. www.savethechildren.org has cited that $2,500 can build a well for a community.
For me $2,500 is an entire years wages. It's what I've been making every year working part time while at Bethel. For me that would be a large sacrifice.
For others, $2,500 is:
It stuck out to me how they seemed to emphasize that it's only 30 dollars, or only one dollar can help one person for a whole year... They emphasize how little it takes on our part to make a huge impact on a persons life.
So I started wondering what it would cost to impact an entire community, a country, a continent. I don't know if its just me, but I wanted to see what an impact would look like on a grand scale. Sure I want to make a difference for the individual, but I want to do something much more grand than just that. I think a lot of people do.
Sometimes I just want to shout "Don't tell me how my pocket change can impact one life, tell me how I can sacrifice myself to really make a difference!" I think it's just the idea of doing something so much bigger than myself and being a part of the grand adventure. It's the idea that I see worth and importance in other people in such a way that I am willing to put them before my own needs and pleasures for a time.
I've been trying to do a little research on what it would cost to build one well in another country. www.savethechildren.org has cited that $2,500 can build a well for a community.
For me $2,500 is an entire years wages. It's what I've been making every year working part time while at Bethel. For me that would be a large sacrifice.
For others, $2,500 is:
- a tax refund
- a years investment into a 401K plan
- a super fancy big screen tv
- a Carribean cruise vacation or a trip to disney land
- a used car
- a laptop computer
- an engagement ring
I'm sure the list could go on. But if that's a small sacrifice for others, I wonder what $25,000 or $250,000 could do.
How much would it cost to provide an entire country in Africa with clean water? With a little sacrifice, I really believe it's totally doable.
Imagine the impact! It would be revolutionary.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
America the Greedy; the greed epidemic
It might just be that I've never noticed it like this before, but it seems like there is more greed and selfishness than I can recall.
It bothered me last Friday when I heard about the worker who was trampled to death at Walmart. It bothered me even more when I was told the next day that a woman was trampled and lost her baby. And it bothered me today when I read that there are a lot of people who want to hold Walmart responsible for it.
Seems to me if greed were not in the hearts of those who broke down the doors, then the worker and the woman (and the other two people) would not have been trampled.
I was told that the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday because it's the one day out of the year that stores actually make a profit (which I don't believe at all, otherwise half of the top ten richest people in the US wouldn't be Walmart heirs), but I really believe that Black Friday is called Black Friday because this is the day that exposes the blackness of societies hearts.
It's more than just Black Friday and shoppers though.
From what I've been learning about the economic crisis, I have to pinpoint that it's because of greed.
God help me to be done with my own personal selfishness and greed.
It bothered me last Friday when I heard about the worker who was trampled to death at Walmart. It bothered me even more when I was told the next day that a woman was trampled and lost her baby. And it bothered me today when I read that there are a lot of people who want to hold Walmart responsible for it.
Seems to me if greed were not in the hearts of those who broke down the doors, then the worker and the woman (and the other two people) would not have been trampled.
I was told that the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday because it's the one day out of the year that stores actually make a profit (which I don't believe at all, otherwise half of the top ten richest people in the US wouldn't be Walmart heirs), but I really believe that Black Friday is called Black Friday because this is the day that exposes the blackness of societies hearts.
It's more than just Black Friday and shoppers though.
From consumerism to credit card debt greed and selfishness really do seem to be more prevalent.
From what I've been learning about the economic crisis, I have to pinpoint that it's because of greed.
God help me to be done with my own personal selfishness and greed.
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