the other day we looked at apartments with ho's parents and then did some window shopping in old town pasadena. although ho and i have been married for three and a half years, we still own next to no furniture. we made do with lots of borrowing and disposable ikea before moving into my in-laws' home, so we'll need to buy our first bed and couch when we decide on an apartment. we also need a dining room set, although that can probably wait until we get a house.
we saw lots of nice things yesterday, and it brought up in me the conflict of living simply in order to give strategically. i wish that i could say that i would be fine with any old furniture, but the older i get, the more pottery barnified my taste becomes. sure, we should get things that will last a long time, but does that rationalize paying premium prices?
somewhere in the last couple of years, i fear that i've lost my edge in my desire to live simply. right now we're in the most financially "carefree" time that we probably will ever have with our DINK (double income, no kids) status. it's kind of ridiculous how blessed we are. i don't think we've been wasteful, but somehow we've gotten sort of lax...writing our tithe checks and supporting our missionaries and giving has become easier and easier. this isn't the way i want it to be.
firstly, i know i need to be more involved in our finances/budgeting (this has long been on my to-do list, alas). secondly, i want us to spend our (hard-earned!) money more thoughtfully and purposefully and joyfully. the following quotations are sobering but inspiring for me, and i hope they'll give you food for thought as well.
“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditures excludes them.” — C.S. Lewis
And from John Piper (I think this is from Desiring God) --
God is not glorified when we keep for ourselves (no matter how thankfully) what we ought to be using to alleviate the misery of unevangelized, uneducated, and unfed millions. The evidence that many professing Christians have been deceived by this doctrine is how little they give and how much they own. God has prospered them. And by an almost irresistible law of consumer culture . . . they have bought bigger (and more) houses, newer (and more) cars, fancier (and more) clothes, better (and more) meat, and all manner of trinkets and gadgets and containers and devices and equipment to make life more fun. But what is specifically called for today is a wartime lifestyle. I mean a style of life that is unencumbered by nonessentials. I don't mean primitive 'simplicity.' I mean wartime effectiveness. . . . I mean a kind of Spartan commitment to maximize everything for the mission of the church. A glad-hearted Christian austerity that can see his imminent victory, and will make any sacrifice for the joy of being on the cutting edge of God's kingdom.
again, emphasis added by me. i want to be on the cutting edge of God's kingdom. that's the place to be.
--e.b.
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