I love reading other people's blogs. I do.

A couple of thoughts while reading some today...

from Fabulously Frugalicious:

"I think the single most important trait of frugal living is the ability to feel content. Do you agree? Think about it. When we are content with what we have, we don't feel the need to "keep up with the Joneses". In today's times, that is more important than ever. Contentment will keep you from feeling like things are going under or from feeling "poor"."

I've been learning this lesson more and more lately. Our Dave Ramsey class is going really well - it's so fun to see people excited about taking a fresh look at their finances and choosing new ways of thinking about money and stewardship. As we keep striving toward the debt-free mark, I feel so grateful for lessons learned so far, and for the peace that's come with being on the same page as M and choosing together where we want to spend and give our money. God's money. note: according to the bounty displayed at my last couple of garage sales, I'm an easy 'accumulator' and I think I can safely say that most of it found it's way to my home because I was bored and went shopping. Or saw something and thought I really needed it in three colors. heh. Really, truly, I 'Need' very little, it seems...

In the spirit of attempting to be fab frugal, I've learned that you really can get a discount on almost anything online. When I booked my hotel for work this week (Super 8, baby, 10 minutes from the studio, with extended cable, wifi, refrigerator & microwave, and free breakfast), I got the general room discount for x number of days, plus a $10 Barnes & Noble Gift Card, plus a rebate I found online that'll send me $20 after my stay. Not to mention the fact that this stay will put me over the 10 nights needed to earn my hotel reward points, so next trip I get a night free. :)

I also thought I got a pretty good deal on a raincoat, which is an item I've been scouting for awhile now. I used to have a black one that I LOVED from Ann Taylor Loft, and I lost it a couple of years ago. So, I've been hunting one similar... semi-lightweight but still semi-structured, with a substantial hood, some sort of waist definition, not too long or short. I found this one online at Land's End and really liked it, but didn't like the idea of paying full price. Happily, I did a search and found a 20% off coupon, and it's just come in the mail to me today! It's a little roomy, because they didn't have this one in a petite size, but in general I'm happy about it and the always-good navy color. Although, I will say I've spent more than a few moments thinking about the environmental issues involved in shipping... why isn't there a Lands' End in Texas??

Godgrown has another thought-provoking entry up today. Here's one paragraph that jumped out at me:

"Evangelicals have squandered their massive influence on America, with refusing to creatively engage the culture and instead creating a Christian sub-culture (with radio stations, bookstores and the like) and when Christians DO engage their surrounding world, its sort of reminds me of little the little kid that would throw a snowball at a passing car, only to return to his little group of cronies to talk about brave he was."

I've had a lot swimming around in my head lately about churches, especially my own... it's purpose, our purpose in it, my purpose in it. And our/my purpose in this world. I think that should be a post for another time. I do, however, tend to agree with Godgrown's sentiments about many evangelicals separating themselves from the world in these 'outer' ways... I think I remember reading that there was even a program called 'Jazzercise for Jesus' or something like it, as though Christians need even our workouts to be tailored to Contemporary Christianity. As though we can't just go to 24 hr fitness and work out alongside everyone else.

Coming from a workplace and past life mostly made up of creative types, unbelievers, and many different faith backgrounds, I find myself on middle ground most of the time. I want my words to be full of grace, seasoned with salt - I want to communicate my dependence on Christ, my respect for the Word, my love of people, my lack of having everything together. I find, though, that I'm doing most of my communicating what's important to me through relationships over time, as my actions and behavior tell their own story. When topics do come up in conversation that allow me to share my thoughts, I want to do it in such a way as to be heard through all of the religiosity, through all the preconceptions. I want to be sure that I come from a place of what I've experienced, first, because that's what I really know. And from a place of listening to where others are. Sometimes I feel like I have two languages... that of my private life and church life, and the language of Out There... Out There being anywhere Christian isn't necessarily fluently spoken. Where Christian-ese is a red-flag and a dollop of cheese in the ears of a listener. I understand it, because even I fight an eye-roll at some of the more touchy-feely contemporary Christian-speak. I need to grow up and get over such things, but underneath it's simply because it's not my spiritual language or experiential language. This blog is actually a good example of my double-speak, as it were... my name is, in theory, not to be found here yet, because I wanted a space to be able to speak more freely about myself and my faith than I feel I do in my daily life at present.

*edit* upon leaving for awhile and thinking about this, I want to clarify: 'doublespeak' is generally regarded as a bad thing, as in saying one thing but doing another. in trying to 'become all things to all people', though, that's where I think we have the freedom to chose our words to communicate best with those around us. For example, talking about 'the kingdom of God' is fairly common church-language, but can sound totally culty and weird to someone who doesn't claim a faith. Which is one of the reasons I'm glad for church, small group, and family time... these places are where we should feel the free-est to express our faith, alongside other practitioners. Not that I walk around suppressed or anything, but I am understandably more cautious when I'm out and about and unsure of my audience.

Speaking of semantics and such, I took part in a group survey study recently and one of the questions put to us was something like: 'Where do you see the inbreaking of the kindgom in your congregation?'. Though most of us assumed the idea to mean, simply, 'Where do you see God working where you are?', we were initially a little puzzled and had to hear the question again. And we're church people.

If you have any thoughts about any of the above, I'd love to hear them.

Now, I have to go to the studio for a bit, then pack my bags for 4 fun-filled days of blowing wind into a microphone. Thank you, Lord, for work! Thank you thank you, you've been so good to us. I'm going to make a pit stop on the way home and see if I can find a bargain yoga dvd to play on the computer in my hotel room... I'm missing it. Oh, and I'm also taking my knitting! I managed to get myself out of my first major mess-up without outside help, and feel confident that this scarf will actually be completed someday. :)

Have a great week, everyone.

-m.y.