Well, I missed a post last week. If you haven't caught on, I'm doing my best to drop a new post every Wednesday evening. My excuse? I was working on my first newsletter! Inside, you'll find a brief version of my call story, a little about my work and what I'm learning, and a pretty spiffy banner, if I may be so bold. Yes, the color scheme is a little spastic, and green doesn't always look great on computers - I'll work on that for next time.
I hope you enjoy it and find a new connection with God through my story. If you'd like to get on my mailing list, just grab my email address from my "about" page and drop me a line.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Thursday, November 14, 2013
it's just a coat (or is it?)
My first dilemma: it's getting cold in Washington, DC and winter is on the way. I have a winter coat which is fairly warm, waterproof, and overall, reasonably functional. On the other hand, it is also a bold blue and white ski jacket that I've had since college (at least 7 years ago). I wouldn't exactly blend in on Capitol Hill or walking around the city with seminar groups. So, if I got a more professional looking coat, basically just to fit in with the in-crowd, would that make me materialistic? My mom and a handful of other people more or less said, "no, it's important to look presentable" so I'm going to take that as a sign that getting a new coat might be an ok thing. I'm still a little uneasy about it, especially after recalling Luke 12:22-31, but let's put that dilemma on the backburner and assume getting a new coat is an acceptable thing for me to do.
My second dilemma: the act of buying a new coat. My checklist: warm, waterproof (I bike, walk, or bus to work), and professional-looking. Mom told me it should match my pants (whatever that means) (yes, Mom still helps me shop for clothes because it's something that exhausts me). It would be great if it is also responsibly made. There's a redeeming factor for buying a new coat - it could lead to opportunities to raise awareness about responsibly made goods.
My first thought was "sweatshop free," and my next thought was American Apparel. I remember talking about the company in Bible study back in Michigan. They have a couple stores in downtown DC and they have some coats listed online which look to fit the bill. They are a bit pricier than I would generally pay (coats in the ~$150 range), but responsibly made means you pay a legitimate price for a product instead of the product being subsidized by low wages. I actually read large pieces of their "About Us" page and felt good about their business model and corporate attitude. I came across a small part of their page which talked about a line of products they have made with organic cotton. Whoa. I wasn't even thinking about where the raw materials came from. As far as I can tell, they don't tout any coats having been made from responsibly sourced materials. Maybe I should poke around on the internet and see what else I can find, just for fun-zies.
I found it difficult to find clothing, especially outerwear, made from responsibly sourced materials. I did come across Patagonia. The way they keep shop really blew me away, both from the standpoint of intentionality and also humility. Workers taken care of? Check. Organic cotton? Check. Some fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles? Check. Black Friday ad saying "Don't buy this jacket"? Check. Inspiring. The cost of a winter coat? We're talking about $500.
To quote the founder of Patagonia, "Living the examined life is a pain in the ass." Yes, Yvon Chouinard, it is a pain in the ass.
To formalize my dilemma, $500 is a real stretch on a missionary budget. $150 is doable, but is buying just to the level of responsibly manufactured really worth the premium? Maybe I should just go for one of the $50 coats I found with my family over the weekend?
After agonizing over it for a few days, here's where I land. I think we have the responsibility to do the best we can with the resources we have. In Luke 12:34, Jesus tells us "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." We ought to put our two cents (or $500) into places we can believe in, insofar as our finances permit. Not all of us have the resources to buy the most responsibly made products. Plenty of people make way less than I do and just need something warm on their back that looks respectable. But some, even many, of us can choose to support companies who are oriented in a way that respects God's creation. When there is a market need for something, companies will be looking to fill it.
Disclaimer: this is approached from a personal responsibility perspective and doesn't address the more socially or systemically based question of why everyone can't afford clothes that are generated sustainably. Maybe someday I'll have ability to try that one, but I'm not there yet. I think I will say that it isn't enough to consider only individual or social responsibility, but both together.
My second dilemma: the act of buying a new coat. My checklist: warm, waterproof (I bike, walk, or bus to work), and professional-looking. Mom told me it should match my pants (whatever that means) (yes, Mom still helps me shop for clothes because it's something that exhausts me). It would be great if it is also responsibly made. There's a redeeming factor for buying a new coat - it could lead to opportunities to raise awareness about responsibly made goods.
My first thought was "sweatshop free," and my next thought was American Apparel. I remember talking about the company in Bible study back in Michigan. They have a couple stores in downtown DC and they have some coats listed online which look to fit the bill. They are a bit pricier than I would generally pay (coats in the ~$150 range), but responsibly made means you pay a legitimate price for a product instead of the product being subsidized by low wages. I actually read large pieces of their "About Us" page and felt good about their business model and corporate attitude. I came across a small part of their page which talked about a line of products they have made with organic cotton. Whoa. I wasn't even thinking about where the raw materials came from. As far as I can tell, they don't tout any coats having been made from responsibly sourced materials. Maybe I should poke around on the internet and see what else I can find, just for fun-zies.
I found it difficult to find clothing, especially outerwear, made from responsibly sourced materials. I did come across Patagonia. The way they keep shop really blew me away, both from the standpoint of intentionality and also humility. Workers taken care of? Check. Organic cotton? Check. Some fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles? Check. Black Friday ad saying "Don't buy this jacket"? Check. Inspiring. The cost of a winter coat? We're talking about $500.
To quote the founder of Patagonia, "Living the examined life is a pain in the ass." Yes, Yvon Chouinard, it is a pain in the ass.
To formalize my dilemma, $500 is a real stretch on a missionary budget. $150 is doable, but is buying just to the level of responsibly manufactured really worth the premium? Maybe I should just go for one of the $50 coats I found with my family over the weekend?
After agonizing over it for a few days, here's where I land. I think we have the responsibility to do the best we can with the resources we have. In Luke 12:34, Jesus tells us "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." We ought to put our two cents (or $500) into places we can believe in, insofar as our finances permit. Not all of us have the resources to buy the most responsibly made products. Plenty of people make way less than I do and just need something warm on their back that looks respectable. But some, even many, of us can choose to support companies who are oriented in a way that respects God's creation. When there is a market need for something, companies will be looking to fill it.
Disclaimer: this is approached from a personal responsibility perspective and doesn't address the more socially or systemically based question of why everyone can't afford clothes that are generated sustainably. Maybe someday I'll have ability to try that one, but I'm not there yet. I think I will say that it isn't enough to consider only individual or social responsibility, but both together.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Abba time
These days, I often don’t remember the entire gist of a message, but I do often take a memorable morsel with me. Neal gave a beautiful anecdote today in staff worship. He talked about how much he cherishes the time he gets to spend with his kids in the morning. He wakes up early and makes a hot breakfast for them, and they eat together in their breakfast nook, looking out over their backyard. This peaceful time is the beginning of the day, where afterwards the kids race off to school and recreation, and Dad off to work and business.
How much does God cherish the time we spend with him? God must be thrilled to sit down with God’s children, listen to our dreams and hopes, our thoughts and feelings, and our fears and doubts. What a wonderful time to be connected and centered before being sent into the world for the day!
Sometimes when I pray, I almost consider it some kind of obligation, especially before I head out to work in the morning. It has become part of my routine. Routines are great when you want to make sure you do something important, but routines can also become mechanical and lifeless – just going through the motions.
Routines go in seasons for me. I need the structure, but I also need variety within that structure to maintain vitality. Messages and realizations like today’s renew my mind, resurrecting life from lifeless places. Why do I do this prayer thing every morning? Oh, yeah!
What ways do you keep your sacred time with God vital? I’d love to hear them!
How much does God cherish the time we spend with him? God must be thrilled to sit down with God’s children, listen to our dreams and hopes, our thoughts and feelings, and our fears and doubts. What a wonderful time to be connected and centered before being sent into the world for the day!Sometimes when I pray, I almost consider it some kind of obligation, especially before I head out to work in the morning. It has become part of my routine. Routines are great when you want to make sure you do something important, but routines can also become mechanical and lifeless – just going through the motions.
Routines go in seasons for me. I need the structure, but I also need variety within that structure to maintain vitality. Messages and realizations like today’s renew my mind, resurrecting life from lifeless places. Why do I do this prayer thing every morning? Oh, yeah!
What ways do you keep your sacred time with God vital? I’d love to hear them!
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