It's beginning to look a lot like....

HELLO?!?!

Is anyone else completely and utterly horrified that before Halloween even happened Christmas decorations started to make their appearance? Then, once Halloween hit, there was no sneaking a few things in...Christmas officially had it's presence at almost all (thank you Nordstrom) retail locations.

I'm all for Christmas cheer (and by that I mean true Christmas cheer, not the consumerism cheer) but not when it (the consumerism one) begins to creep in and overshadow the equally important season of gratitude. I think this is worth reading, re-reading, and chewing on for a bit.

Really? Are we thankful? Do we think we have enough?

Our pastor has been doing a series about us being lives that give LIFE to others. Part of that has been various exercises in gratitude. Did you know:

20% percent of our neighbors (in the world) live in abject poverty-1.3 billion people live on less than a dollar a day. They have a few blankets, a table, and a wooden chair. no electicity, no running water, live in a space the size of your garage or tool shed, no government servies, no postman, no fireman, one school 3 miles away with two rooms, no hospitals, just a clinic ten miles away, no doctors, only a midwife, no savings and a possible cash hoard of $5. They may have rice and beans, maybe bananas. Half the planet live on less than less that two dollars a day. (that's most of India, China, Pakistan, and many African countries). Everyone in the top 20% of the wealthiest lives on $1,800 a year!. Earn over $25,000 a year and you are in the top 10% of the world's wealthest. If you earn earn over $47.000, then you're wealthier than 99% of all humanity, you're among the top 1% of the weathiest on the planet. "

I'm going out on a limb here and will guess that if you are reading this blog, you are in the 20% WEALTHIEST in the world based on those findings. But hold on...there's one more: 

Only 2% of Americans think they are wealthy, 98% feel thay don't have enough yet.

It's been a great series. The most recent challenge was to eat only rice, beans, and bananas for 2 days, 4 days, or a week. Yesterday morning we started the challenge. Bananas were breakfast. Pinto beans and rice were lunch. Black beans and rice were dinner. I was in bed at 8pm feeling weak. (I am still a nursing Mom). This morning I made the hard decision to cave to a wider food selection in order to be a good mom to my baby. It was hard because I felt like I should endure. After all 2 days, 4 days, a week....it pales in comparison to those who LIVE like this. I felt guilty. I felt angry passing by three massive grocery stores and 3 dozen restaurants while taking Cupcake to school 4 miles away. We are so blessed. Yet we all want more.

This Sunday our pastor asked us to think about what we want to accomplish for the Kingdom in the next 10 years. I've got some ideas....and figuring out how to give more financially and relationally is where it starts. Now, excuse me while I take my Christmas list to the shredder. I'll pop a chocolate covered almond in my mouth on the way because I am CRAZY BLESSED.

Try rice, beans, and bananas for 2 days, 4 days, a week....or even just one measly day. I dare ya.