2008 March

Greetings to all on 10 MAR 2008

Word for the Day
Spendthrift - one who squanders money; a prodigal spender.

Quote for the Day
Less is more.
Mies van der Rohe, famous German-born American architect (1886-1969)

Website for the Day
www.rhchurch.org
Listen to Rick Atchley’s lesson from 20 JAN entitled Simple Does It.

Thought for the Day
As part of our continuing focus on seeking rest in 2008, here are a few thoughts for the day. One way to seek rest is to scale back our pursuit of possessions. I like the way Suze Orman prioritizes life: people, money and then things. For many of us, our natural inclination is exactly the reverse of her advice. How many of us have scrimped and saved, or even worse, used credit to buy that item we just had to have. Oh, it was attractive in the advertisement and even more alluring in the showroom. But after a few weeks at my house, it just blended in with all the other stuff. I would submit that the euphoria of the hunt and acquisition far outweighs the joy of ownership. Especially when the cost of ownership arrives on a monthly basis.

One of today’s catch phrases is “going green,” meaning to be environmentally conscious. We should be good stewards of God’s creation, but what about our stewardship of God’s Spirit that lives within us? The scenario described in the first paragraph actually illustrates a pattern of spiritual waste. Obviously, much money is wasted, but have you considered the hidden waste of our time?

Paul said that he had learned to be content with much or with little. [PHI 4.11-12] Why can we not be content even with much? Thirty years ago, Richard Rogers said that we were “eat up with materialism and don’t even know it.” I guess he is still correct.

May God Bless
Mike Toole
Lori Moores, ed.