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SIMPLE LIVING 101

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ALTERNATIVES for SIMPLE LIVING/SAMPLE TALK

Darrell

by Darrel Fickbohm

Meet Darrel here.

When Gerald Iversen, the National Coordinator for Alternatives for Simple Living, called me some weeks ago, and asked me to come tell you about his organization, I heard the brakes start to clamp down in my mind. You know, they're those brakes that start to skid whenever a speaking commitment looms in the horizon -- or any commitment that takes us out of our comfort zone, for that matter.

"I don't know. I'm not really a public speaker. I'm a writer/storyteller. I'm used to holing up in a room and quietly working."

He said, "Well, tell some stories then. Work it into the talk. Get your guitar and sing a song. I can't be in Sioux Falls on May the third so it's up to you."

I felt like Moses must have. All of a sudden I felt like I had a speech impediment, and God was asking me to do something I really didn't have the aptitude for. "But God, I can't say "cinnimum," or "alumimum" and you want me to do what?

"It's for a good cause." And I knew what he was talking about. I was to present a short talk that would outline this unusual non-profit organization -- the organization that dedicates itself to voluntary simplicity. Well... that sounds simple enough, but Mr. Iversen said, "Wait....it's not that simple....."

And at that point I began to realize what a tangled mess we Americans have really gotten ourselves into.

Maybe I can illustrate my point with an incident that happened to me just the other day.

It's a warm Saturday morning and I've been working hard all week when the phone rings. It's my friend calling from the island of Puerto Rico.

"Darrel?" she says.

"Lisa, it's 6:30... on a Saturday."

"I know, but I just had to tell you that I'm coming home. I'm at my rope's end. I can't take it anymore. I can take the chicken feet sellers outside my window at 4 a.m. I can stand the people staring at me, ...etc.

It turns out that the city was out of power, temporarily, and she's spent the morning trying to get ready for her day....

She was trembling with frustration with a cold curling iron in her hand.

I said, "Lisa, you love this man-- you told me that he was wonderful and his family had accepted you....etc. And now you're leaving him because of a curling iron."

A curling iron?

How did we ever get to the point in life where we began to make life decisions based on comfort and convenience??

Last Christmas I heard the story of a family that had "THEIR WHOLE Christmas ruined because during the gift swapping game that they were playing, an aunt kept a box of Coca Cola coasters that everyone knew her brother wanted.

It ate at them so badly that they had to go home early -- talking about it in the car on Christmas eve and for weeks afterward.

Anger eclipsed their Christmas until a set of Coca Cola coasters that you could buy for $6 at Kmart obscured the manger and the meaning of Christmas completely.

If this sounds ridiculous to you, think back to some of the happenings like it in your life where things were blown out of proportion from the actual events.

When did this begin to happen to us in this country and Why?

Do you know that in this world of "plenty" that 80% of the world's vast resources are piped directly to 20% of the world's consumers? That means that 80% percent of this world's human population has to somehow make do with 20% of the world's resources. Now don't you think that someone might have to answer for this imbalance someday?

I'll say it again. 80% of the world's resources are being consumed by 20% of the world's people.

How did things get so out of balance? Where did we get the idea that such an imbalance was normal?

Could it be that the society we live in has allowed itself to be manipulated by a system based on luxury and greed?

Something in us resists this simple truth, I think. We want to defend ourselves against the statement before we're even personally accused. I know I do. I want to say, Hey, it's not me. I don't live that extravagantly. I give back when I can and I'm doing this and that etc.... but the problem remains. The 80% -- 20% problem.

And what's to be done about it?

We need to ask ourselves these questions: What do we need to live? What do we need to be happy?

Do we really need it? Or is somebody telling us that we need it?

WHAT IS VOLUNTARY SIMPLICITY?

1st of all, let's talk about what it is not.

Voluntary simplicity is not a list of rules to follow. Living more simply is about personal responsibility. Seeing our lives as extravagant and marked by out of control overconsumption.

It's about deciding what to do, little by little, and then, day by day, doing what we can to cut down on consumption. It's TOO LATE for us to just choose semi-poverty and cut out everything. An extreme solution is not possible for most of us, so the only way is to do it gradually.

If you are hesitant to admit that you over-consume, ask yourself -- when the was the last time you gave gifts at Christmas, for instance, out of obligation instead of from your heart. Or the last time you bought something at the store without thinking much about it, and later on realized that you didn't really even use it.

WHINING: Remember the kids saying, "But mom, Heather has got one.... Everybody in school has one except me."

LET'S TRANSFER that to our own inner voices and say, "But God my family should get to live in as nice a house as that family's. We're as deserving as they are..."

It sounds pretty silly and alarming when you put it that way, doesn't it? But isn't there more than a ring of truth to it when we grow up and see how things carry over?

Once more: Voluntary Simplicity is not a list of rules to remember at length. It is a consciousness---an awareness that shows us our true needs, instead of going through life at the mercy of those voices on TV that make us doubt if our clothes and teeth are white enough?

Instead of blindly buying at the mercy of subconscious signals we need to pause before we buy and ask ourselves, " Do I need this? Do I buy the car to impress people or do I buy the one that makes sense?

You've heard the message before, "CONSIDER THE LILIES OF THE FIELD THEY TOIL NOT NEITHER DO THEY SPIN, YET SOLOMON IN ALL HIS GLORY WAS NOT CLOTHED AS ONE OF THESE....."

Even more important than the lilies of the field are our fellow humans who are suffering as a direct result of us, the 20%, who are choosing to use up 80% of this worlds' vast resources. Do you see the connection?

It's like giving seven children a cake and one child gives the other 6 only one piece to share among themselves.

I hope we don't discover too late as Marley's ghost does in The Christmas Carol, that there is a great injustice being done here and that, in the end, Mankind was supposed to have been our Business.

Can we keep on consuming endless varieties of food when somewhere on the same planet there are people working like mad for one bowl of their daily rice?

Can we fool ourselves much longer into believing that we won't have to answer for this at the end of time?

Alternatives for Simple Living is about small changes in our lives. It's about everyone pitching in just a little to make a difference in the grand scheme.

Think about it. We don't have to become communists or make a huge structural change to make a difference. We can meet the needs of those that have little -- it's what we were commanded to do -- not requested.

Alternatives has a quote that is at the pinnacle of what I've been awkwardly trying to say to you and it's this: "LIVE SIMPLY, SO THAT OTHERS MAY SIMPLY LIVE."

Can you imagine what would happen if the great silent majority of this country actually stood up and became vocal? When I moved to Sioux Falls, SD I went looking for a church. I found a town, like many other towns, that was filled with a great many churches. Can you imagine the power if all of us united and changed something even as small as our buying habits. POWER: real power is the power of a river flowing over the rocks. One water molecule is nothing, but taken all together they wear the rocks down in time and change their shapes forever, in a quiet patient way.

I believe as a Christian in America that this is a great hypocrisy of ours -- to go to church and worship the God of everybody, black white, yellow etc. -- and then go home to our comfort and variety pretending we don't see the life and death struggle of those who are not that far away.

It's about compassion and small changes that will make our lives better and happier. ALL OUR lives..... The great human community.

Living Simply can be lonely. Other people, even people in our own churches, may consider it weird. The reasons for runaway consumerism are very deep, and they are accepted almost along the same lines as religious truth. Sometimes it seems almost anti-American not to compete, consume and capitalize.

LIVING SIMPLE IS NOT SIMPLE

Once we become aware, we suddenly see that the temptations to be extravagant are constant. It's hard to maintain the attitude. Hard to remember that other 80% out there when we're taking our 25 minute shower. After a long hard look at the problem, you might find that it's not going to be easy. Sometimes living more simply is not comfortable.

Voluntary Simplicity isn't romanticising poverty. It isn't glorifying the position of the poor or turning them into martyrs. 2/3rds of the worlds population lives in poverty involuntarily. They don't have a choice.

How do we change? There are 3 levels of working towards social justice.

1) Symbolic acts help to raise personal awareness. It can be as simple as giving up a meal, or choosing to walk to work. These isolated acts don't directly ease someone else's hunger, but they do help change our own thinking.

Remember, changing your lifestyle is a water-over-the-stone process that will take a lot of people working together as a team to make a global difference. (And don't be afraid of a hopeless task. This idea is not a new one and there are many people already practicing simpler lives. So... we're on our way!)

Do you know about small changes? You may have heard this story but bear with me...

There was a woman walking on the sea shore one morning and far in the distance she could see someone else strolling along. The woman noticed that this other person was not making very good time as he came. He was constantly bending over and plucking something up from the beach. Then he would toss the object as far out into the water as he could. As she got closer, she saw that he was an old man and that his efforts were something of a strain to him. But he bent and plucked and threw with an almost obsessive energy. The woman looked at the sand at her feet and noticed, for the first time, that the ground was littered with starfish that had been left behind by the tide. They were moving their five arms blindly as they lay on the sand, which was beginning to become warm and dry. Beside the living starfish were many dried out and dead starfish, that the woman supposed must have been left there yesterday.

She approached the older man and saw that he was seeking out the living starfish and throwing them back to safety. She began to laugh, and the old man grinned at her but didn't stop in his self-appointed task.

"Why are you doing that?" she asked him. "The beach goes on for miles and there are eleventy-thousand starfish! What kind of difference could you possibly make?"

The man just stooped and picked up another struggling starfish. He pulled back his arm and let it sail back into the sea. Then he turned to the woman and said:

"Made a difference to that one."

Making a difference doesn't have to happen on a gargantuan level. We're not super heroes who can build dams single-handedly, or stop wars by ourselves, or stop the crime and indifference in our city streets by our own power -- and we never will be. But we can start... right where we are.

2) the second level of Social justice is to actually share our resources of time, money and energy with someone else less fortunate. IT CHANGES THE OUTLOOK OF CHARITY TO REMEMBER THAT 80% OF THE WORLD'S RESOURCES ARE CONSUMED BY 20% OF THE WORLDS PEOPLE.

Charity becomes a reasonable action that's designed to even the balance a little bit.

I found a billfold on the ground when I was a kid..... When I opened it I could see that it was full of money -- a great thick wad of cash. I looked at that address on the driver's license and could see that it belonged to a man who lived about 19 blocks away. I decided to take the billfold back to the gentleman right away, so I started to jog over to his house.

All the way there I imagined an extremely grateful billfold-owner. He would reward me from his ample cash pile, invite me in and introduce me to his family, praise my honesty and intelligence. I would be invited to stay for supper where I would tell the story of how I found the billfold there on the street where some rough looking guys were about to come upon it.

During supper, the billfold man's daughter, whom I would someday marry, would let her hand fall on mine and declare me the Finest Person She Ever Met.

When I got to the man's house, I could hardly keep from blushing a preemptive blush as I rang the bell.

The man was very nice. He said, "Thank you. I've been looking all over for that."

And that was it. The door closed on my supper invitation and his pretty daughter and my dreams of a reward.

I was fuming all the way home. I was still fuming at suppertime when I told my father the whole story. When I was done talking he looked at me and said something that I've never forgotten, and I believe it has changed my life.

"Darrel, why should you be rewarded for doing something that you should be doing anyway....?"

Balance. Justice. Maybe we should be giving to that 80% not because we're feeling charitable, but because we're feeling dutiful...

As in everything with Christianity, if you give it some careful, loving thought you'll find that Christ himself probably would agree.

3)The third level of social change is a bit more complex and requires more organization. We need to keep a Constant awareness for change within our local governments and work to make some kind of difference in them.

We need to be politically responsible. We can all help in this way, but the main two levels of social justice are:

1) Personal awareness of consumer habits

2) Charity from a sense of duty to even the balance.

DOWNSHIFTING:

IT's perhaps A LITTLE easier for me to speak of downshifting because I was brought up in a home where we did it all the time. The first recollection I have of it was when my father got rid of our 20 inch television and brought home a 12 inch black and white model that they've had for the last 21 years. This is only one example....

*I'd like to open the floor briefly to find out what you're thinking. I'd like to see if you have any ideas for downshifting.

There are 5 life principles and we've covered one already. "Live Simply that other's may simply live."

The 2nd is an interesting one. One that I didn't think of before I wrote this talk.

LEARN FROM THE WORLD COMMUNITY: Today I've been saying that we, the 20% should be learning how to give, but there is an incredible amount to learn from the 80%. WE can take while we give.

For example, a black Bishop from Africa recently said, "Oh yes, White people... they are the ones who can sing, but not move.."

It might startle you to know that North America and Europe are losing 6000 Christians a week from their churches. ---Falling away from the faith. Our faith may have become too rigid and may be failing to change the MODE of it's message to the people.

In Africa right now, Christianity is gaining 20,000 converts each week. And motivated by their beautiful music and their straightforward simple method of delivering the gospel. These people may not have much to eat, but they are stuffing themselves on the Bread of life that is promised to Christians in the bible.

We can learn from the world community. Even the segments of it here at home that we have possibly overlooked before.

A week ago I heard the true story of a church that was located by a college campus.....

This church was a large one, and very well-attended. It had all the resources that a church could possibly have and was trying with all its might to make a difference in the community. But it couldn't seem to reach the college campus that was right across the street.

This issue was the subject of many prayerful meetings by the leaders of the church, but no one seemed to have any answers.

One Sunday morning the church was packed, as usual. The pews were filled with the usual middle-class, middle income folks who had attended for years.

The service had just begun when suddenly the door in the rear of the sanctuary opened to admit a young man.

He was obviously from the college across the street and he looked -- to say the least -- out of his element. His jeans were tattered and his sweatshirt bore the faint stains of many a grassy football game. He walk up the aisle and searched in vein for a place to sit.

There simply was no place and he worked his way to the front with all eyes on him. Looking around with a blank expression on his face, the young man found a seat at last: on the floor in front of the first pew.

The stir among the congregation was audible as the final reading ended to make way for the sermon.

And then the oldest elder began his own walk up the aisle in the trail of the young man.

People shook their heads and watched with interest. They said in whispers, "It's too bad, but I don't blame Elder Wayne for what he's about to do."

But the Elder did not ask the boy to leave. He reached the front and stood beside him. Then he bent and lowered himself to the floor, setting his cane across his knees, and loosening his tie to worship beside another Christian.

The minister, when he finally found his voice, spoke to his now silent congregation.

"You will never remember what I am about to say this morning, but you will never forget what you have seen."

Is change possible? Can we learn from the world community, which is outside our own comfort zones, to find our repayment for living more simply?

You only have to believe.

The 3rd Life principle is to Nurture People.

FIND MEANING IN LIFE THROUGH OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOD AND WITH PEOPLE, NOT WITH STUFF.

This principle pretty self-explanatory, but do this exercise sometime. Take a walk through a mall with no money in your pocket and treat the trip like it's a walk through the museum.

Gerald Iversen talks about this: "I just imagine the storekeepers as the caretakers of a lot of stuff that I won't have to maintain."

The 4th Life Principle is to Cherish the Natural order.

You've heard the 4 "R's"? REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, and RESTORE.

Reducing we've already talked about. It is the most important.

When I worked for a retail store a few years ago a woman came in to purchase a decorative wooden box. This box came in a plastic bag with a cardboard box around it. But the woman insisted that it be boxed again and then wrapped in brown paper. Then she wanted it put in a bag.... which she put in a bigger bag that she was already holding.

So...

She wanted a box for her boxed, bagged box to put in a bag in a bag in a bag.

Madness.

And all that wrapping was to make sure that box got all the way to her house, which was only a few blocks away, according to the address on her check.

When I go to the store now, I carry things out to my car without bags if there isn't too much. It felt weird at first, but as time went on I realized that no one was looking and nobody cared, anyway.

Can you imagine the sheer tonnage of packaging that goes into getting the sack of chips and a loaf of bread all that grueling distance from the store to the car.

Remember the starfish story. If you make a difference in a small way, eventually things will change.

This package conserving is a great way to start because it is a small and slightly inconvenient action, but serves to make you more AWARE.

Reusing is a very interesting concept for an American. It means refusing things like paper cups, of course. but it also means using something that can be repaired.

We all know the phrase "planned obsolescence". Think about those plastic chairs that last 2 seasons and then crack to pieces, or the handle that comes off the year old tool. I believe that part of the new Awareness should be to buy quality wherever we find it. It saves on resources and rewards the competency and honesty of the manufacturer.

A word on Recycling. We take a can of pop to curb and we think we've done our bit. But...

Precycling is actually more important than recycling. We need to evaluate a product before we buy to see if it can be repaired and reused.

Closing the loop is important, also. If we're going to recycle faithfully then we need to use products that are made of recycled stuff. It is the finishing touch for the responsible consumer.

IT may cost a little more to use recycled materials, but living simply in America is not Living On the Cheap. It costs a little more to do the right thing sometimes.

The last R in the four R's is to RESTORE.

Remember what your mother used to say to you as a child. " If you get it out, put it back."

Trees for instance. Just remember that a tree farm isn't the same thing as a forest.

restoring shouldn't be considered a reason for making new mistakes. Just as recycling doesn't give us licence to go out and use more.

The first and most important principle is to REDUCE. My great grandparents were happier then I am now and they didn't even have 61 channels of cable TV to choose from.

IT's a cliched notion to remember the GOOD OLD DAYS as something that can't ever return. Well they can come back, but it takes a conscious effort to resist the voices that say downshifting is not possible. "You can't get by with less, so don't even try!"

Who's telling us this stuff? Is it the sane voice of a Christ-like attitude? OR is it the Great Vast marketplace of a free trade society gone mad?

Which brings me to my last point:

The Society is not irresistible, my own father has done it for years. I would call him a Resister, in fact.

NON-CONFORM FREELY.!!! Very important. Go against the current.
"You are not to conform to this world but to be transformed into a new creature through Christ."

Wear your "out of date" clothes if you still like them!

The evil prince of the air who seeks our destruction is in control of the media. All you have to do is turn on the TV and imagine the presence of Christ in the room with you. See how long it takes before you become uncomfortable with what's happening on that little screen.

Some of the techniques used against us are devious and seem small---how we dress to go to church; how our house will look at Christmas time, for instance.

Some are loud and in your face messages that work to get as deeply into your pocketbook as possible everyday. Our heads become full of jingles as the ad people try to leave their deposits there.

We have some very basic needs...food, shelter, etc... It is helpful to have information on where to go to fill these needs---that's why we have advertisements.

It is objectionable, however, when advertisements create needs. (That is wants or desires)

Commercials are not the price of admission to TV or anything else. The airwaves belong to the people if they belong to anyone---we owe the advertisers nothing.
I encourage you to use the mute button on your television, often. Don't sit there like a mushroom taking it all in.

Do we have enough evidence to show that our lives are being taken over by a runaway consumerism?

You can be the judge of that for your own life.

I'd like to take a few minutes more to tell you how Alternatives for Simple Living is set up and to go over some of its resource list with you.

(Refer to the latter pages of the "flex talk" for the rest.)

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"Mission Centered" ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS FAIR

By Carol M. Syerson

"Joy To the World" - we love to sing this carol. Now in the process of celebrating our "Mission Centered" Alternative Christmas Fair, we are enabled to enter a dimension in which we understand the true meaning of joy to the world

The peace of Christmas, also, comes when we change focus away from the commercialism around us. Decorations assail us right after Halloween and advertising bombards us well before Thanksgiving. In order to achieve the peace we need a plan.

An exciting Christmas tradition which began for us at First Congregational Church of Royal Oak, Michigan ten years ago is the Alternative Christmas Fair. Ann Marie Kurrasch, wife of our minister, Dr. Richard Kurrasch, proposed and helped develop our first "alternative" fair. She had worked with Church World Service in California where that organization had assisted churches in planning such fairs. Our Board of Christian Outreach (formerly Social Concerns Committee) has found this a valuable channel for helping our congregation, as well as our children, to focus on the giving and sharing aspects of the Christmas spirit.

The commercial message our children can scarcely avoid: "make your list right away; we have wonderful new things for you to want; you can even register your list at a nearby toy store." Parents could very well feel pressured to buy more than is reasonable, more perhaps than they can afford.

This past December by means of Heifer Project International's "Fill the Ark" program, our church school was able to give the children a very different message. The excellent material furnished by HPI included "A Daily Missions Giving Program" for use by children with their families.

Heifer Project International was one of the projects included in that first Alternative Christmas Fair held December 5, 1987. Mrs. Kurrasch's article describing the Fair appeared in the January/ February 1988 issue of The Congregationalist. Regarding Heifer Project International she wrote "HPI was founded by Dan West in 1944 as a non-profit, interfaith agency... HPI believes that poverty and world hunger can be overcome and it does its share by supplying food-producing animals and related education." After these 49 years HPI is sponsoring more than 300 projects around the world and also in many states of our country.

We had presented HPI's "Fill the Ark" program to our Board of Christian Education in June. They were familiar with Heifer and were pleased with the format of this program. The "Fill the Ark" program was presented to adults and children during "Sharing Time with the Children" at our Sunday worship. The printed copies of "A Daily Missions Giving Program" were inserted in church bulletins. Each child received a little plastic "ark bank" furnished by HPI. Interesting challenges were given for thinking as families about world hunger and how our gifts can help.

"Our world is threatened by a new flood of poverty, hunger, and environmental destruction... HPI's ark brings the promise of a new beginning." By the time of our Fair on November 8th, our children had saved enough money to purchase one heifer, one "share" of a goat, and a flock of chicks. Among the valuable lessons they had learned: "Children are the world's most precious natural resource."

Adults were participants at the Fair, purchasing an assortment of water buffalo, heifers, sheep, goats and chickens. One woman gave her elderly father a heifer. She was sure he would appreciate this gift. She had given him a sheep and a goat other Christmases! The four circles of our Women's Fellowship celebrated by joining an HPI program called Women in Livestock Development - WILD!

Heifer Project was just one of the six different mission projects supported by our Fair. Church World Service has continued to be an important mission for us. Their "Blanket Program" has been our emphasis at recent Fairs. One of our Circles has created "blanket" Christmas cards. The message inside reads "To celebrate the joy of Christmas, a gift has been made in your honor by to the Church World Service Blanket Program. The blanket will be given to assist disaster victims, displaced persons, or refugees." Each of the cards was decorated with a gaily printed fabric "blanket." Two hundred thirty cards were made and than sold at the Fair for five dollars each, or eight dollars if individuals wanted to add the three dollar shipping cost.

Publicity for this CWS program was facilitated by use of their Hotline, 1-800-456-1310. Latest information can be received about relief programs and needs. By using this information in a message from the pulpit, inserting printed flyers supplied by CWS, and purchasing one of their blankets to show, our congregation joined us to make this an especially successful project. The warmth of the season shared by means of a blanket!

The SERRV Self-Help Handicrafts booth is one of our most popular at our Fair. A bit of history, workers in refugee camps in the late 1940's had observed craft skills in people who were held in the camps, people who desperately needed outlets and income. SERRV was developed at that time and has continued to bring the work of skilled craftsmen to outside markets. Through the SERRV program crafts people gain dignity and hope. In addition, they receive a fair price for their products.

Our people have found the great variety of items brought together by SEPRV from more than 40 different countries a boon to their Christmas shopping. Many are able to make this a one-stop shopping trip; the wide selection offers items both beautiful and unusual. In the process the crafts people are enabled to support their families!

Well known for its work in providing housing here and abroad, Habitat for Humanity was represented at our Fair in November. One of the Board members for the Oakland County branch brought carpenter aprons, T-shirts, banners, pins, Christmas cards and books to sell. Books are always an excellent gift for children. Who knows what interesting lessons they will garner from reading The President Builds a House Grandpa's Hammer, or Raising the Roof!

A unique contribution to the Fair for benefit of Habitat was a doll house. A craft group in our church had been given a partially finished doll house. Inspired by the thought they could finish it in time for it to be sold at the Fair, the group went into high gear. Finish it they did, complete with verandah and window boxes. The doll house was placed at the entrance of our Social Hall, site of the Fair. Bids were taken as a silent auction with a minimum of $200. One of our little girls decided she would bid her savings. When that wasn't enough to meet the minimum, she persuaded her little sister to go in with her. Still not up to the minimum, her father offered the balance as a Christmas present. Kristin and Melissa got their doll house and Habitat was grateful to receive the $200 contribution.

Another organization included in our Fair was South Oakland Shelter. Temporary housing is provided to homeless individuals and families of our area. SOS assists people to find employment and temporary shelter as well as to stabilize their lives. "House pins", sold as a fund raiser, are popular items at our Fair. The houses showing tiny dogs, cats, lamp posts, barns, even cows as part of the landscape come in an assortment of styles and colors. Our people purchase new ones each year for themselves as for gifts. We are delighted to be able to offer them, and to support South Oakland Shelter.

The sixth of our supported missions has provided us with a meaningful connection with the city of Detroit. Mrs. Kurrasch teaches instrumental music at one of the schools in the city. Not surprisingly funds have been in very short supply for purchase of music and repair of musical instruments to lend her students. Her "Detroit Music and Instrument Program" offers opportunity for our people to become partners by providing needed funds. A Christmas card similar to the "blanket card" of Church World Service is given in exchange for a donation. Nearly a thousand dollars was raised to provide opportunities for "our children" of Detroit to learn to play an instrument and participate in her exciting programs. "The beat goes on!"

The undercurrent of excitement among our church family could be felt through the months of planning and execution of our Alternative Christmas Fair. Everyone became a participant in some way. Some who were new to this process became interested in learning about the included organizations and their work. Many contributed their time and energy to do publicity work and preparations for booths. People joined the Church School staff especially to become Heifer Project teachers.

The Board of Christian Outreach sponsored the Fair, but other organizations took on vital roles in making it all come together. The Board of Christian Education met in June to determine program for the Church School, and Women's Fellowship launched work on the areas they have traditionally carried. Always popular, the Cookie Walk raised money to pay for shipping Church World Service blankets and also contributed funds to HPI to help cover costs of valuable materials supplied by them. Every cookie made sold in short order! One of our women again took responsibility for ordering and organizing the SERRV sale. Mary Martha Circle created the blankets for Church World Service cards and ran that booth.

Over ten thousand dollars was raised by means of our Alternative Christmas Fair for some very worthy charities. Especially inspiring was the fact that everyone in the congregation seemed to become a part of the process. Perhaps we had really begun to perceive the deeper meaning of ''alternative." By giving gifts of love that would reach around the world as well as in our own neighborhood, we have celebrated the joy, been blessed with the hope and achieved a special quality of the peace of Christmas.

At a January church service we dedicated the gifts and sang the song Mrs. Kurrasch had written for that first Fair, "Come build a bridge across the sea, Join hands with all humanity. An interdependent world we meet, For we're part of a global village."

"Mission Centered" Alternative Christmas Fair

List of Organizations:

Alternatives for Simple Living
109 Gaul Dr. * P.O. Box 340 * Sergeant Bluff, Iowa 51054

Church World Service
28606 Phillips St., P.O. Box 968
Elkhart, Indiana 46515

Habitat for Humanity International, Inc.
121 Habitat Street
Americus, GA 31709-3498

Heifer Project International
Box 808
Little Rock, Arkansas 72203-0808
(800) 422-0474

SERRV International
500 Main Street, P.O. 365
New Windsor, Maryland 21776-0365

Ten Thousand Villages
704 Main Street, P.O. Box 500
Akron, Pennsylvania 17501-0500
(Organization like SERRV)

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"Peace Study Circle on Simple Living"

By Joan Bleidorn

[Promotional flyer]

Peace Education Project of Peace Action offers:
Peace Study Circle on Simple Living

Four Wednesday Evenings
January 6,13, 20, 27
7:00 pm
Peace Action Center
1001 E. Keefe

* Simple Living and Nonviolence
* Simple Living and Corporate Power
* Simple Living and the Environment
* Simple Living and Spirituality

Facilitated by Joan Bleidorn
$15 fee for four sessions.

I want to join the Peace Study Circle on Simple Living.
Name
Address City Zip
Phone
I have enclosed $15 for the four sessions.

Make check to Peace Education Project of P.A.M.
Send to Peace Education Project, 1001 E. Keefe Ave., Milwaukee, Wl 53212

[Presentation Outlines]

Session 1: SIMPLE LIFESTYLE AND NON-VIOLENCE

I. PURPOSE OF SIMPLE LIVING:
A. TO FREE OUR TIME: TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNITY
B. TO FREE OURSELVES FROM THE BURDENS OF POSSESSIONS,
C. TO PROTECT THE EARTH'S DIMINISHING RESOURCES
D. TO PROMOTE A MORE JUST AND EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES
E. TO ELIMINATE THE VIOLENCE THAT ARISES OUT OF GREED.

II. THE VIOLENCE OF CONSUMERISM:
A. THE MAJOR CAUSE OF VIOLENCE IS GREED.
People hoard because they want to feel secure; that they have enough. The more we have, the less secure we feel, the more fearful, the more we need to protect our "stash". This is what. leads to violence. We have to accumulate weapons to defend our "stuff". Fear of loss. The fear of not having enough. We therefore try to defend our possessions with weapons, alarm systems, guard dogs, etc. but nothing is enough to make us feel secure. We live in fear and insecurity, the very things we thought our possessions were going to protect us from. How can we really be free of fear and feelings of insecurity? Divest ourselves - share. What we can get along WITHOUT is what we need to focus on. (The military does not exist to protect ordinary people. It exists to protect the wealthy and their riches.)When we have too much, we become filled with the fear of loss, and then we resort to violence (and wars) to protect our possessions. Solution: Less "stuff" to protect.
Our lifestyle is based on making MONEY: AWOL; The American Way of Life. We work long hours, exploit other countries, taking their resources and land, cheap labor to meet our so-called needs. We demand oil, go to war for oil, to meet the excessive demands of our affluent Western-style lifestyle, which is THE CAUSE OF WAR. Violence often occurs in families over possessions, inheritances, money, cars, i.e. "things". Working long hours for more money for more things, family relationships suffer and often are destroyed.

B. VIOLENCE OF UNJUSTLY USING MORE OF THE EARTH'S LIMITED RESOURCES WHILE OTHERS HAVE NOTHING.
"The planet cannot afford another United States." Tissa Balasuriya, Planetary Theology. Third World land is used to produce cash crops, such a coffee, sugar, and bananas, or used for grazing cattle, to produce cheap beef for U.S. consumers, instead of being used to grow food for Third World people. Food must be imported which makes it as expensive as it is in the U.S. This is a violence which is unjustified. Also, dangerous chemicals and pesticides, outlawed for use in the U.S. are used in the growing of food in Third
World Countries, which food is then imported for our consumption.
Third World people suffer from poverty, illiteracy, illness and malnutrition at our expense. U.S. money goes to the wealthy oligarchies in these countries to keep the poor in line. It is a mistake to think that the military exists to protect the people of any country. The military has always served the interest of the wealthy, protecting their wealth against the starving masses. Almost one-third of the developing world's population, 1.: billion people, live on less than a dollar a day. Half of the people in the world will be living in absolute poverty by the year 2000. (United Nations.)

C. VIOLENCE OF THE SWEATSHOPS (WHAT WE USE IS MADE BY SLAVE LABOR).
Exploitation of child labor; children as young as four year old, working long hours in Third World countries, to produce cheap consumer goods for our Western shopping malls. (Shopping has been found to be the favorite leisure time activity of most teenage girls in this country. There are more shopping malls in this country than there are high schools. (ZPG). Michael Jordan earns $20 million a year which is more than the combined income of all the Indonesians who make NIKE shoes. (The Boycott Quarterly).

D. VIOLENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL "DEBT" OF THE THIRD WORLD TO THE RICH FIRST WORLD.
Poor people in Third World nations cannot feed, house, clothe themselves, or provide education or health care for themselves and their children because they are in debt to rich First World countries, i.e. the U.S. They had no say in taking on the debt. They did not benefit from the debt; no money was used to improve their lives. But they must pay it back and their government places them on strict austerity programs to do so. They starve because of an unjust debt. These poor countries have already paid back the debt three or four times over, counting the interest on the debt. This is a violence which must be corrected. We must cancel the Third World Debt. The poor Third World does not owe us anything. We colonized them without their say-so. The rich First World owes them, if anything.

E. VIOLENCE OF THE MILITARY
The military exists to protect the interests of the wealthy, whether in a Third World nation or in this one. The poor fight and die to protect the business interests of the big corporations all around the world, who are in other countries to gain cheap resources, and cheap labor. This is a violence which is caused by greed on a massive level. In the 20th century, some 110,000,000 people have been killed in wars. In some more recent wars, as many as 90% of those killed have been civilians compared to 15% earlier in the century. ~n the past 2 decades, 2 million children were killed in wars. (UNICEF/Carnegie Comm.)Thirty three nations force children to become soldiers in their armies, all of them under the age of 18 years old. (FCNL). Since 1940, the US has spent $5.7 TRILLION on nuclear weapons ($1,000.00 for every man, woman, and child on earth.) (Washington Post). The U.S. plans to spend $1.3 billion to maintain a military presence near Iraq and $83 million for military operations in Bosnia. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 3-18-98). All the while, people in this country, and around the world are homeless, jobless, without health insurance, and without the basic needs of life.

F. VIOLENCE OF THE CORPORATIONS GOBBLING UP MORE AND MORE RESOURCES, GAINING MORE POWER THAN EVEN GOVERNMENTS
The Violence of the Global Economy; the Growing Gap between the Rich and the Poor, the Haves and the Have-nots.
The Role of the Corporations:
1. A climate of GREED, particularly since the 80's.
2. Decline in the power of unions
3. Downsizing
4. Proliferation of part-time jobs, with no benefits, living from paycheck to paycheck. We have no monarchs in the U.S. The closest thing we have to it is the big CEO's. Their oversized salaries come at the expense of their underpaid workers, and to some extent, the shareholders. Maximizing profits is the ultimate goal, sending jobs overseas to avail themselves of cheap labor, thus maximizing profits. (CEO's making 212% more than the lowest paid workers.)
5. Privatization: Pressure to eliminate public services; Those benefiting from the Corporations' power become richer, want private security systems to guard their increasingly massive homes in gated communities; private rather than public schools; prefer to travel by private cars rather than support mass transit; want to wall out the "undesirables", who rely on public services; Guard their property with guard dogs, security guards, alarms systems, guns, etc. On the international scene, the wealthy (CEO's etc.) willing to protect their over seas wealth through violence; i.e. sophisticated weapons systems, even nukes. There is little concern for the common good among the new "aristocracy". Violence also plagues their families: workaholism; isolation; rampant materialism; disintegration of family relationships; domestic abuse, violence also possible.
6. The Desperation of the Have Nots. Many who were former members of the middle class are rapidly falling into the ranks of the have nots, due to downsizing, part-time jobs with no benefits, lack of affordable housing; lack of medical coverage; A mean spirited attitude towards the poor has resulted in blaming the victims of poverty for their own suffering. End to general assistance, end of welfare; Many families are increasingly torn apart by domestic violence, caused by frustration because of lack of decent jobs, housing, even basic needs for themselves and their children. Desperation can lead to substance abuse and domestic violence, which is on the increase, and also crime. Mothers will do whatever it takes to prevent their children from starving to death. The wealthy, who seem to hold all the power, use their influence to push not for more schools, but for more prisons, not for more jobs for poor mothers, many of whom do not have a GED, but for punitive measures which further crush them, making their lives almost unbearable. Family relationships for the have-nots are under incredible strain, with some attempting to hold two and three part-time jobs to keep their families together and fed and clothed and housed. More and more are seeking out the overcrowded shelters after having been evicted.

G. VIOLENCE TO THE ENVIRONMENT: POISONING OUR AIR, SOIL, AND WATER.
Destruction of the environment. Overconsumption, particularly heavy rely on cars, overbuilding of roads, the taking over of farmland for affluent new subdivisions, (farmland which is needed for the growing of food), all of this damages the environment, poisons the air, water, and soil, and does violence to our planet and ourselves. The U.S. is the largest polluter, emitting more than 25~ of the world's greenhouse gases associated with global warming, according to Ben Lilliston, in "Global Climate Change". We in the U.S., who represent 28 of the world's population, consume 84% of the world's energy, own 92% of the world's automobiles, and possess 80% of the world's income. (Creative and Simple Living, Seattle, WA.)
It is said that future wars will be fought not over oil, but over WATER. Nationwide in the U.S., almost 50 acres of prime and unique farmland are being destroyed EVERY HOUR EVERY DAY. (American Farmland Trust). The U.S. throws out every year 6 BILLION TONS OF GOOD FOOD which costs us $1 billion to dispose of each year. The US spends $435 billion each year on advertising to keep up the consumption of items. (NCR-9-25-98) The number one POLLUTER OF THE PLANET IS THE MILITARY.

H. VIOLENCE IN OUR USE OF TIME: RUSHING, HURRYING, FRANTIC PACE TO WORK MORE, EARN MORE, GET MORE "STUFF".
No time for family, friends, relationships. Caught up in a frantic lifestyle which does harm and violence to ourselves and others. We waste our life energy.

I. VIOLENCE OF ROAD RAGE
Jerry Mander in In the Absence of the Sacred, writes about our change from a stable society to one of mobility, caused by automobiles. Families are separated, scattered from coast to coast; proliferation of cars, drivers, the disintegration of the "walking neighborhood"; neighborhoods cleared to make room for more freeways, roads, parking lots; the paving over of good land (now one of the causes of floods since there is no run-off area left.). Too many drivers, too many cars, too much speed. Too much pressure in our lives to get places FAST. This combination of factors sets the foundation that leads to road rage and violence. (Half of the people in the U.S. do not drive; too old; too young; too disabled; too poor to own a car.) This involves the violence of catering only to those who can get around by car.

I. VIOLENCE IN OUR USE OF MONEY: MAKING IT AN END IN ITSELF, INSTEAD OF A COMMODITY TO BUY WHAT WE NEED.
The young and the old are often targeted into credit card debt, from which they cannot dig themselves out. Most people in the country, regardless of income, live from paycheck to paycheck. Some can't help it, but others simply up their lifestyle whenever they can get more credit or a higher salary, buying a bigger house than they can afford, a bigger car. We live for money and the things it can buy.

J. VIOLENCE OF RACISM: SATISFIED THAT THE DESTITUTION EXPERIENCED BY MOST OF THE WORLD'S PEOPLE, IS THAT OF PEOPLE OF COLOR, NOT WHITE PEOPLE.
We are far less incensed by the deprivation and suffering of people of color, than we are of white people.

K. VIOLENCE OF NARROW PROVINCIALISM.
We are still not aware that we are ONE WORLD, ONE PEOPLE. In many cases, our own little world is all that counts.

L. VIOLENCE IN OUR CELEBRATIONS.
The commercialization of our celebrations especially CHRISTMAS, WEDDINGS, AND EVEN FUNERALS, is carried to such an extreme (and considered normal), that these extremes often destroy family relationships.

M. VIOLENCE IN OUR SCHOOLS (A REFLECTION OF THE WIDER SOCIETY).
Need for Nikes, guns, knives (protection?) Corporations promote consumerism through sale of junk food, t-shirts, Pepsi and Coke rivalry; sale of "stuff" to raise money for soccer, etc. Even violence in our Churches; (emphasis is often on raising money; bingo, huge elaborate buildings while the homeless are on the streets.

N. VIOLENCE IN OUR SHOPPING
Coupons; two-for one-sales; one-time only; beanie babies; Nikes; get there first; pushing; shoving; crowds; particularly at holiday shopping. VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA with commercials so frequent that it is almost impossible to watch a program uninterrupted i.e. buy this, buy that, violence sells; subliminal messages to promote more sales.

O. VIOLENCE IN OUR ADDICTIONS.
We crave more "stuff" to fill the emptiness within. Nothing is ever enough to fill this emptiness. We crave more and more. We shop, watch T.V., drink, eat, gamble, smoke, engage in some forms of "religion" which can also be signs of an addiction; We tend to replace one addiction with another, and we do violence to ourselves and the others in our lives. We try to dull the pain of living by killing that pain through whatever it is we are addicted to. It doesn't work.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT ALL OF THIS? HOW CAN WE CHANGE OUR LIVES AND LIVE MORE SIMPLY SO THAT OTHERS CAN SIMPLY LIVE? HOW CAN WE WALK MORE LIGHTLY UPON THE EARTH, MORE NON-VIOLENTLY AND MORE IN COMMUNITY WITH ALL OTHERS ON OUR BEAUTIFUL BLUE AND GREEN PLANET?

P. VIOLENCE OF "ROAD RAGE"
Jerry Manders: "In the Absence of the Sacred". Change from a stable society to one of mobility; families torn apart, scattered; coast to coast; proliferation of cars, drivers, disintegration of the "walking neighborhood".

Q. VIOLENCE IN OUR ADDICTIONS:
We crave more "stuff" to fill the emptiness within. Nothing fills this emptiness. We crave more and more. We shop, watch T.V., drink, eat, gamble, smoke, engage in some forms of "religion", (whatever our addiction happens to be, and we tend to replace one addiction with another, and we do violence to ourselves and the significant others in our lives. We try to dull the pain of living by anesthetizing ourselves. It doesn't work.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT? HOW CAN WE LIVE SIMPLY AND NON-VIOLENTLY? HOW CAN WE WALK MORE LIGHTLY ON THE EARTH AND MORE IN HARMONY AND COMMUNITY WITH ALL OTHERS ON OUR BEAUTIFUL BLUE AND GREEN PLANET?

Session 2: SIMPLE LIFESTYLE AND THE CORPORATIONS

I. THE GROWING DIVIDE:
A. GAP BETWEEN HAVES AND HAVE NOTS:
B. DECLINE OF INDIVIDUAL WELFARE: RISE OF CORPORATE WELFARE
C. EFFECTS OF PRIVATIZATION
i. LUXURIOUS AND WASTEFUL "GATED" COMMUNITIES: (private guards, security systems, alarms,)
ii. LARGER GROUP PUSHED DOWNWARD INTO DESTITUTION (destitution of families, homelessness, rise of part-time non-union jobs).

II. PRIVATIZATION IN VARIOUS AREAS AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS.
A. POSTAL SERVICE
B. AIRLINES
C. HEALTH CARE
D. WEAPONS INDUSTRY
E. PRISON INDUSTRY
F. TEMPORARY WORK INDUSTRIES
G. CASINOS
H. COMMUNICATIONS: AT&T: MCI:
I. WAL-MARTS: Note

III. HOW TO SIMPLIFY TO OFFSET POWER OF THE CORPORATIONS:
A. Create sustainable communities
1. Public transit, public markets) Walking neighborhoods, small, affordable homes, close to schools, hospitals, shops, libraries, friends. Rebuild a sense of community.
2. Local ownership (Not Jewel-Osco or Wal-Mart)
3. Eliminate corporate subsidies; repeal NAFTA and GATT
4. Get corporations out of politics.

B. BUILD LOCAL. ECONOMIES:
1. Local currencies; local community banks or credit unions
2. Community organic agriculture
3. Holistic health practices, freeing us from dependence on health insurance.
4. Buy local -NOT AT THE MALLS
5. Community forestry
6. Voluntary Simplicity - frees us from buying things we do not need.)
7. Local renewable energy.
8. Pedestrian walkways and public transportation
9. Join or support a Labor Union
10. Support campaigns to raise the Minimum Wage.
11. Write letters to the editor.
12. Join an Independent or Third Political Party.

Session 3: SIMPLE LIFESTYLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

I. GLOBAL CRISIS:
A. Environmental Limits
B. Deregulation and Globalization creating Global Financial System delinked from the public interest.

II. RESULTS:
A. Widening of the gap between have's and have-nots.
B. Excessive demands on the eco-system producing pollution.
C. Negative effects on our health and well-being resulting from toxic materials poisoning our air, soil, and water. (Cancer? Asthma? Allergic Reactions?)

III. OVERUSE OF SUSTAINING RESOURCES:
A. ENERGY OVERUSE:
i. TRANSPORTATION - cars, planes- air conditioning systems in cars and homes; greenhouse gases destroying the ozone, producing floods, etc. Excessive amounts of travel
ii. HOMES AND BUILDINGS: overly large homes, multiple rooms, needing energy for heating and cooling; many or most homes equipped with energy devouring appliances, i.e. T.V., VCR, computer, microwave, telephone, coffee maker, toaster, ovens, stoves, stereo, showers (massive amounts of water used each day); single family dwellings requiring more energy than co-op living or buildings with shared walls; Lawn mowers, snow blowers, etc. electric tools.
iii. CLEANING MATERIALS: toxic materials used in cleaning bathrooms, kitchens, living-room carpets, dry-cleaning substances for drapes, etc.
B. WATER RESOURCES OVERUSED:
i. Wasteful use of water i.e. 200 golf courses in Phoenix, all drawing water from the Colorado River to keep them green. (Trying to create a garden out of the desert for the affluent.) (Also - attempts to "air condition" a place like Las Vegas , which is really a desert.)
ii. Pesticides dumped by corporations into lakes and rivers. Corporations prefer to pay the tax (they can afford it) and continue polluting.
C. WASTEFUL USE OF LAND
i. Paving over farmland to build roads. (Eliminating run-off space in case of floods. Malls instead of farmland for growing needed food.
ii. Overly large single-family lots, getting larger all the time .(The have's want more land.)
D. CLOTHING: Excessively large wardrobes; closets filled with items often made by slave labor.)
E. FOOD: Often imported; often containing pesticides not allowed in this country. Food filled with additives and dyes. Cash crops from the Third World i.e. Sugar and coffee and bananas. (destroy the Rain Forest). A meat diet (using more water and grazing land than a diet based on grains.
F. ALUMINUM CANS: Americans love carbonated drinks in aluminum cans. Third World people are fortunate if they have clean water.
G. COSMETICS: Expensive; unnecessary; contain dangerous toxics.
H. STRIP MINING AND DESTRUCTION OF THE FORESTS (to obtain goods that we really don't need).
I. THE MILITARY: Weapons tests; the military is the number one pollutant.
J. PAPER: We are deluged with "junk" mail. Paper is the number one item in the dump.
K. CHILDREN'S CLOTHES AND TOYS: Kids targeted by T.V. advertisers. Christmas, birthdays, all increase kids' "stash". High tech toys.
L. HANDY PLASTIC AND PAPER THROWAWAYS: Use it and toss it. Excessive packaging in foods, gifts, etc. HUGE AMOUNTS OF GARBAGE THROUGH OUR WASTEFULNESS.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THIS?

REDUCE - REUSE - RECYCLE - RESTORE - RESPOND

Session 4: SIMPLE LIFESTYLE AND SPIRITUALITY

I. SPIRITUALITY VS. CONSUMERISM: at opposite poles. spirituality deals with INNER RICHES - consumerism, materialism deals with accumulating outer riches (to make up for the emptiness and lack on the inside).

II. MAJOR FAITHS AND SIMPLE LIFESTYLE.
None of the major faiths encourage us to store up and hoard and amass vast wealth and "things". On the contrary, virtually ALL of them tell us that we need to rid ourselves of the need to get lots of "things" and concentrate on the richness of within. God is WITHIN.

III. THE BIBLE SAYS "DEJUNK THYSELF."

IV. SPIRITUALITY AND OUR ADDICTIONS.
Consumerism is tied in with our cravings for things, which arise out of our inner emptiness. We develop an enormous appetite for (whatever our current addiction is, and all of them feed into one another). i.e. food, money, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, caffeine, cars, houses, "stuff" accumulated from our favorite pastime -shopping. It is a vicious circle. The more we get, the emptier we feel, the more we crave.

V. SIMPLICITY AND COMMUNITY:
We don't need a lot of things. We need very little in the line of material things: food, clothing, shelter (a simple home close to transportation, schools, stores, libraries, shops, hospitals and doctors, churches, and people we love). What we need is COMMUNITY: Time to build relationships. God is Love. God is within. God is in others. We are one. We need to free ourselves from the slavery of materialism, to leave ourselves time and energy for people, for building community.
"The less you have, the more emotionally stable you are because there are fewer things consuming you." (Young Hughley)
"Religion" deals with external observances in many cases. i.e. church buildings, rituals, rites, practices, rules, etc. Spirituality, on the other hand, is independent of church buildings. It is a inner thing. Many people who are disenchanted with the externals, crave an inner peace and joy that comes from a rich spiritual life, which spills over into the building of genuine community with others. Should the major denominations sell their large buildings, and involve themselves more in a spirituality based on inner riches, building community, respecting all of nature?
The genuine mark of a spiritual person is JOY. In general, people in our materialistic society are deprived of much joy, because they are too busy working long hours to earn far more money than they need, to buy more "stuff" that they definitely do not need. To divest ourselves of our stuff, and to free ourselves from the bonds of consumerism is the first step to real freedom and joy.
"We spend all of our time acquiring things, possessions, and protecting our possessions, and sometimes it takes real tragedies in life to bring us to the point where we understand what really counts; that is friends, families, and helping other people." (Alan Harris)
"You have so much and harvest little; you eat but you never have enough, you drink but you never have your fill, you clothe yourself but no one is warm, and you that earn wages, earn wages to put them into a bag with holes." (Haggai 1:6)
"Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with the food that I need." (Proverbs 30:8)

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Redeeming Christmas: Celebrating Christ and People, Not Santa and Things

By Ruth Meek

The anthology of ideas and inspiration is not available due to copyright restrictions.

CHRISTMAS SPEECH OUTLINE INTRO

PRAY
THANKS
"ONLY 36 MORE SHOPPING DAYS 'TIL CHRISTMAS!"
HOW DO YOU FEEL? EXCITED, STRESSED, HAPPY, ANXIOUS

CONFLICT DUE TO THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF CHRISTMAS

SACRED & SIMPLE HAS BECOME COMMERCIAL & COMPLICATED

GRAPEFRUIT & STRAW
CHRISTMAS DOESN'T COME IN A VACUUM
TO DO'S OF EA. MO. ARE STILL W\ YOU IN DEC. :CARPOOLS,
APPTS., MEETINGS, GROCERY SHOPPING, LAUNDRY,
COOKING, CLEANING, KIDS STILL GET SICK, SUN. SCHOOL
CLASS TO TEACH, AD NAUSEAM

STRESS @ CHRISTMAS [& CHILDBIRTH]
STRESS ENGINEERING TERM - ONLY COMMONLY USED LAST 30

WHY I FEEL SO STRONGLY - SPIRIT'S CONVICTION OVER TIME

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE TAKEN, OR KNOW OF THE COURSE, EXPERIENCING
GOD BY HENRY BLACKABY ? [HANDS]

GOD USED THAT TO SHOW ME HOW EASY IT IS TO BE USED BY HIM

HE'S ALREADY WORKING ALL I HAD TO DO WAS STEP UP AND JOIN HIM

1989 STEPHEN TRANSFERRED TO WASH D.C. TEMPORARILY
STORED ALL STUFF ------- CORT FURNITURE RENTALS

3 MOS. BECAME 18 MOS -----CHRISTMAS THERE

SEPARATED FROM DECORATIONS, FRIENDS, CHURCH

MY MOTHER THERE NEW BABY

HOMEMADE ADVENT WREATH [PHOTO]
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE MAKE ONE EASY LET KIDS DO IT
MORE PRIMITIVE THE BETTER-JUST LIKE THAT STABLE HE CAME IN

SM. TREE [SM. HASSEL]

NOT UP LATE WRAPPING, BAKING, ADDRESSING

ABLE TO GET UP EARLY ON COLD DARK MORNINGS & PRAY & BIBLE

DEVOTIONALS W\ ADVENT WREATH & CANDLES SANG HYMNS, PRAYED

RENEWED MY MIND [SCRIPTURE] & PREPARED MY HEART [MANGER]

CHRISTMAS HYMNODY & LITERATURE MANGER IS SYMBOL FOR HEART

ADVENT IS TO CHRISTMAS WHAT PREGNANCY IS TO BIRTH OF BABY

UNDERSTOOD ANNUAL COMING & HOW IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL PREP WAS

ONE HAS TO MAKE SPACE FOR GOD

EA. CHRISTMAS GOD GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO RELIVE THE NATIVITY

YOU CAN BE SO BUSY YOU MISS IT!

I DID BACK IN DALLAS

REUNITED W BOXES OF DECORATIONS, SCORES OF FRIENDS, MANY SCHOOL & CHURCH ACTIVITIES,

LATE NIGHTS OF: WRAPPING, BAKING, ADDRESSING, CLEANING, PLANNING, LIST MAKING, WRITING NOTES, ETC.

NO EARLY QUIET TIME

TOO TIRED FROM NIGHT BEFORE & TOO MUCH TO DO TO PRAY

LITTLE TIME SPENT RENEWING MY MIND WITH SCRIPTURE

THE CULTURE EASILY SQUEEZED ME INTO IT'S MOLD

JOURNAL ENTRY THAT YR. "THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST SPIRITUALLY DRY CHRISTMAS I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED "
I HAD VIOLATED ROM. 12 :2 AND HAD NO PEACE
I VOWED THEN TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER MY CELEBRATION
Rom. 12 :2 DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED HOW? BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND.

HOW DO WE RENEW OUR MINDS? GOD'S WORD & PRAYER

SINCE THAT YR. I HAVE VERY INTENTIONALLY TRIED TO SIMPLIFY, & TRY TO KEEP THE COMING OF JESUS, NOT SANTA, NOT COMPANY, NOT PRESENTS, BUT THE COMING OF JESUS, THE MAIN THING

THIS STREAMLINING IS A PROCESS LIKE SANCTIFICATION

PROGRESS WILL COME IN FITS & STARTS

DON'T PURSUE WHOLESALE CHANGE

MAKE PRAYERFUL, INCREMENTAL ADJUSTMENTS OVER 3-5 YR. PER.

HOWEVER SIMPLE CHRISTMAS BECOMES FOR YOU ALWAYS BUSY

TOO BUSY? TEST FOR THIS IS YOUR PRAYER LIFE

TOO BUSY TO PRAY YOU'RE TOO BUSY

ALLOW MORE NOT LESS TIME TO PRAY AT CHRISTMAS SO YOU DON'T MISS THAT ANNUAL ADVENT BOOSTER SHOT

MARTIN LUTHER WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS PLANS FOR THE NEXT DAY SAID "WORK, WORK, FROM EARLY UNTIL LATE IN FACT I HAVE SO MUCH WORK DO DO I SHALL SPEND THE 1 St 3 HRS IN PRAYER."

SIMPLICITY IS IN VOGUE NOW REACTION TO EXCESS OF THE 80'S

SUSAN SORENSON "SEEK SIMPLICITY AND YOU WILL FAIL, SEEK JESUS AND YOU WILL FIND WHAT YOU ARE TRULY SEEKING."

BEWARE OF MAKING SIMPLICITY AN IDOL

BEWARE OF MAKING BEING ORGANIZED AN IDOL

OUR HEARTS ARE IDOL FACTORIES GUARD YOUR HEART PRAY

THIS BOOK IS A COMPILATION OF HELPFUL & THOUGHT PROVOKING IDEAS & ARTICLES WHICH HAVE HELPED ME ON MY JOURNEY

STORIES INCLUDED WHICH WERE SPIRITUALLY CONVICTING FOR ME
SUGGESTIONS FOR PUT-OFFS & PUT -ONS
FOR EXAMPLE PUT OFF CHRISTMAS CARDS & PUT ON EASTER CARDS

REPLACEMENT THERAPY

PUT OFF USING ALL OF MY DECORATIONS PUT ON MORE TIME BEFORE AND AFTER CHRISTMAS {I USED TO FIND DECORATIONS IN MY CHILDREN'S' ROOMS WELL INTO FEB.}

THERE'S FREEDOM HERE!

MICHAEL CARD," IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THE FREEDOM YOU'LL FIND FROM THE THINGS YOU LEAVE BEHIND."

HOW IS YOUR FAMILY DOING ? DOES YOUR CELEBRATION GLORIFY GOD?

WE'RE CALLED "ALIENS", "PILGRIMS" DO YOU LOOK LIKE ONE?
IS YOUR CELEBRATION DISTINCTIVE?

IS TO DECORATE W\ NATIVITY SCENES AND ATTEND CHURCH
ACTIVITIES ENOUGH TO GLORIFY GOD?

YOUR CELEBRATION SHOULD BE SO HONORING OF THE ONE WHO COMES THAT IF HE WERE TO COME THIS CHRISTMAS YOU WOULD NOT BE EMBARRASSED FOR HIM TO JOIN YOU
SUBMIT & PLAN

IN HANDOUT PACK ---- "CHRISTMAS INVENTORY"----REF ALTERNATIVES

WOMEN ARE THE, "CHRISTMAS MAGICIANS" MEN ARE "STAGEHANDS"

HUSBANDS ABDICATE ---O.K. WITH US -- WE LIKE TO DO IT OUR WAY

EVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM

WE'RE BETTER EVEN GOOD AT MULTI- TASKING --BUT --

JUST BECAUSE WE CAN DOES NOT MEAN WE SHOULD

WITH OUT THEIR OVERSIGHT WE CAN EASILY OVER-COMMIT
- IN EVERY AREA

WE'RE THE WEAKER VESSEL -- WE NEED THEIR PROTECTION

READ NUMBERS 30;13-15

AFTER THANKSGIVING, DON'T GO ON "AUTO PILOT" PLAN --MAKE A DATE WITH YOUR HUSBAND & PLAN THE SEASON

PRAY-Rom. 12;2---to not be conformed to this world----

...BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, THAT YOU MAY KNOW WHAT IS THAT GOOD PERFECT & ACCEPTABLE WILL OF GOD Rom 12:2

PRAY THAT YOU WILL KNOW WHAT THAT GOOD WILL OF GOD IS FOR YOUR FAMILY'S DISTINCTIVE CELEBRATION

DISCUSS: EXPECTATIONS IN ALL AREAS:
GIFTS---PARTIES---COMPANY---TRAVEL---RELATIVES---MEALS---
DECORATING---MONEY --

AVOID DEBT --DEBTORS' PRISON OF CHAS DICKENS ' "C MAS CAROL"

LEAVE "WHITE SPACE" ON THE CALENDAR

"MARGIN" [READ DEFINITION]

JESUS MIRACLES PERFORMED AS HE WAS ENROUTE TO SOMEWHERE
ELSE THEY WERE INTERRUPTIONS!

PEOPLE WERE THE PRIORITY NOT THINGS

KEEPING A SCHEDULE IS A "THING"

SOS--SPREAD OUT THE SEASON -- SPREADS OUT THE WORK -- SOW

RENAISSANCE IN PROTESTANT CHURCHES

RETURN TO CHURCH CALENDAR SEE THIS ESPECIALLY AT ADVENT & CHRISTMAS

3 HOLYDAYS [HOLIDAYS] CHRISTMAS, EASTER & PENTECOST

PERIODS OF PREP. BEFORE & PERIODS OF REFLECTION AFTER

MJ DESIGNS DETERMINES WHEN WE START THINKING & PREPARING NOW! NORDSTROM WAITED

ADVENT BEGINS THE SUNDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING

EXTENDS THRU EPIPHANY DAY WISE MEN ARRIVED

SYMBOLIZES THAT CHRIST CAME TO GENTILES ALSO

HAVE AN EPIPHANY PARTY WITH GIFTS [ALL BOUGHT 1 PRICE AFTER CHRISTMAS ] BAKE A CAKE WITH A BEAN TO DETERMINE QUEEN OR KING FOR FOLLOWING YEAR

BRINGS CLOSURE GUESTS CAN HELP UNDECORATE LISTEN TO CD'S FOR LAST TIME -- FINISH OFF THE GOODIES

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS STARTS ON DEC 25 ends ON JAN. 6

1st Day of CHRISTMAS IS DEC 25

12th NIGHT IS JAN. 6th

BOOK THE REAL 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS EXPLAINS SACRED SIGNIFICANCE OF SONG

MORE INFO IN YOUR BOOK ON ADVENT & EPIPHANY

AT OUR HOUSE WE TREAT THE 4 SUN.'S OF ADVENT AS 4 MINI-CHRISTMASES

KIDS GIVE NON-MATERIAL GIFTS TO EACH OTHER

I GIVE MATERIAL GIFTS [ KIDS MORE ATTENTIVE]

EXCITEMENT RE; PRESENTS REALLY HIS "PRESENCE"

MANY ADVENT DEVOTIONAL GUIDE BOOKS AVAILABLE

NOUWEN'S 4 COMINGS OR TRADITIONAL: THEMES

1st SUNDAY--PROPHESY CANDLE,

2nd--BETHLEHEM

3rd--ANGEL

4th--SHEPHERD

JESSE TREE ----JESUS 'S GREAT GREAT GREAT ?
GRANDFATHER

A SHOOT SHALL COME OUT FROM THE STUMP OF JESSE [ISAIAH I 1:1]

TIES OLD TESTAMENT TO NEW TESTAMENT

HENRIETTA MIERS "THE O.T. CONCEALS WHAT THE NEW TESTAMENT REVEALS"

GREAT FOR OLDER CHILDREN USE DAILY

SEASONAL DEVOTIONAL READING ALSO RENEWS OUR HEARTS

USE THE SEASON TO BEGIN THE HABIT OF FAMILY READING
DARK EARLY MAKE FIRE HOT CHOCOLATE. & READ STORIES OF CHRISTMAS

READING LIST IN BOOK

MANY GREAT ANTHOLOGIES: ALTERNATIVES, ALICE GRAY, JOE WHEELER, MAX LUCADO, ETC.

JESUS WAS BORN SO THAT HE COULD DIE FOR YOU

RELATE THESE FOR YOUR CHILDREN MAKE CONNECTION

MAKE CROSS FOR EASTER FROM THE TRUNK OF CHRISTMAS TREE

III. WHOSE BIRTHDAY IS IT ANYWAY?

WOULD JESUS FEEL HONORED IF HE WERE IN YOUR HOME ?

A. YES, HAVE A PARTY

TEACH ABOUT SYMBOLS ALL AGES LIKE

GUESTS BRING GIFT FOR, "LEAST OF THESE" WHICH YOUR FAMILY CAN DELIVER LATER

CONSIDER MINISTRIES IN YOUR CHURCH ALREADY IN PLACE

READ MATTHEW 25:31-46 JUDGMENT PASSAGE SHEEP & GOATS

CLARION CALL TO: GIVING TO " THE LEAST OF THESE" [MY BRETHREN]

AS KIDS GET OLDER MAKE MORE EVANGELICAL

GREATEST GIFT TO GIVE IS THE GOSPEL

IV. WHAT ABOUT SANTA? O.K. FOR CHRISTIANS?

PERSONAL DECISION ILLUSTRATION OF MY RELIEF 10 YRS AGO TO SEE PEGGY BELL DECORATE WITH SANTAS

DEFINITELY SOME BAD & CONFUSING ASPECTS

MANY CHILDREN HAVE JESUS & SANTA CONFUSED

AND SOME NEVER GROW IT!

VIEW GOD AS A COSMIC SANTA CLAUS LISTEN TO THEIR PRAYERS

THERE ARE SOME GOOD THINGS:

SANTA GIVES WITH OUT THOUGHT OF REPAY

SANTA GIVES GENEROUSLY EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN NAUGHTY GRACE

MY PERSONAL POSITION IS THAT ONCE THEY'RE MATURE ENOUGH TO BE SUSPICIOUS TELL THEM THE TRUTH IMMEDIATELY

KEEP IN MIND THAT A YOUNG CHILD CAN BELIEVE IN FANTASY & REALITY SIMULTANEOUSLY.

AS A 5 YR. OLD I SAW A PRICE TAG ON THE BOTTOM OF A TOY SANTA HAD DELIVERED I REPORTED TO MY MOM THAT "SANTA CLAUS SHOPS AT MILLERS TOO!"

SANTA CLAUS IS A SECULARIZED SAINT NICHOLAS

EVEN THE NON-RELIGIOUS CAN ENJOY HIM

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN THE TRUE STORY OF NICHOLAS 4th CENTURY TURKEY

MARTYRED BECAUSE OF HIS CHRISTIAN FAITH----CANONIZED BY CHURCH

REMEMBERED FOR HIS LAVISH GENEROSITY TO THE POOR OFTEN ANONYMOUSLY

STORY OF 15' CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS

INSERT STORY OF MEEK FAMILY'S COAL IN STOCKING

[REFER TO ARTICLE " THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS PRESENTS"]

JOKE IN MY FAMILY THAT THE REASON WHY MY PARENTS PREFER

NOT TO SPEND CHRISTMAS EVE OR DAY WITH US

THEY DON'T ENJOY SEEING

THEIR GRANDKIDS RUN INTO THE DEN ON CHRISTMAS MORNING AND FIND COAL IN THEIR STOCKINGS!

TANGIBLE EMOTIONAL OBJECT LESSON TO TEACH THE GOSPEL TO OUR CHILDREN I.E. THE GOSPEL OF GRACE

SALVATION IS: UNDESERVED FREE AND LAVISH

LIKE THE GIFTS WE GIVE OUR KIDS AT CHRISTMAS

G.R.A.C.E. ACROSTIC FOR: GOD'S RICHES AT CHRIST'S EXPENSE

THE GOSPEL IS SYNONYMOUS WITH GRACE AND SALVATION

VI. JOY OF GIVING TO THE LEAST OF THESE [SWITCHED POSITION ON OUTLINE]

YOU MUST PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR FAMILY

PRAY GOD WILL DEFINITELY ANSWER FOR IT IS DEFINITELY W\ IN HIS WILL THAT YOU GIVE TO THE LEAST OF THESE

ROM. 12:2 b AND DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD BUT BE

TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND

SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW WHAT IS THAT GOOD & PERFECT & ACCEPTABLE

WILL OF GOD

A. ADOPT A FAMILY ARTICLE IN BOOK

OUR FAMILY HAS EXPERIENCED TRUE JOY HAS REPLACED MUCH OF THE FOCUS ON " WHAT AM I GONNA GET" TO "WHAT AM I GONNA GIVE"

I LET THE KIDS CHOOSE A FAMILY TO SECRETLY ADOPT & PLAY SANTA FOR

RECENTLY DIVORCED FRIENDS AND RELATIVES ARE GOOD CHOICES

DIVORCED WOMEN ARE " POOR IN SPIRIT " ALSO

PURE AND UNDEFILED RELIGION TO MINISTER TO WIDOWS AND ORPHANS DIVORCED WOMEN ARE WIDOWS IN A SENSE ACTUALLY WORSE OFF

SPECIALLY HELPFUL WITH "THE GIMMES" IF GIFTS DELIVERED ON CHRISTMAS EVE

SO FUN AND EXCITING FOR KIDS TO BE SNEAKY AND GIVE ANONYMOUSLY

AND CLANDESTINELY MISSION IMPOSSIBLE TV EPISODE

TRUE JOY IN GIVING TO THOSE WHO CANNOT REPAY

I HAD NEVER GIVEN WITH SUCH PURE MOTIVES BEFORE

VI! ALTERNATIVE GIVING

ALREADY ESTABLISHED THAT GIVING TO THOSE WHO CANNOT REPAY IS THE SCRIPTURAL MODEL & IDEAL

THAT IS A WORTHY GOAL FOR US TO WORK TOWARD & PRAY ABOUT

REALITY IS THOUGH THAT WE ARE GOING TO GIVE GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS

-- WE CANNOT INSTITUTE WHOLESALE CHANGE IN ONE SEASON

BETTER TO MAKE INCREMENTAL ADJUSTMENTS OVERTIME 3-5 YR. PLAN

REFER TO AND READ " 10 HIDDEN RULES OF GIFT GIVING"

REFER TO " UNDO THE RULES "

EVEN MORE HONORING OF FRIEND OR RELATIVE TO GIVE TO THE CHARITY OF THEIR CHOICE

MORE INFO IN YOUR GREEN BOOKS ABOUT GIFT GIVING

A. FRIENDS GIVING GIFTS TO FRIENDS IS EXTRA- BIBLICAL

NOT ANTI-BIBLICAL JUST EXTRA BIBLICAL WHEN NEITHER PARTY IS IN CATEGORY OF THE LEAST OF THESE

IT'S A PURELY CULTURAL CONVENTION AND A VERY COMMERCIAL ONE AT THAT
SO NOT NECESSARILY WRONG
JUST A DISTRACTION TO SPIRITUAL PREPARATION

HOWEVER INEXPENSIVE, HOWEVER EASY TO MAKE, HOWEVER "TOKEN LIKE" THE GIFT IS, HOWEVER SIMPLE

GIVING IT TO MULTIPLE FRIENDS CAN MAKE IT COMPLICATED

EVEN SIMPLE GIFTS HAVE TO BE PLANNED, PURCHASED OR MADE WRAPPED TAGGED DELIVERED

THERE I DELIVERED 25 CHOCOLATE ADVENT CALENDARS BEFORE IST SUN OF ADVENT ALMOST RUINED MY THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

WHY DO WE GIVE GIFTS TO FRIENDS?

TO SAY "THANK YOU" ?

TO SAY "I LIKE YOU" & "I LIKE BEING YOUR FRIEND" ?

TO SAY " I WANT OUR FRIENDSHIP TO CONTINUE" ?

ALL OK REASONS BUT WHY DO WE DO IT AT CHRISTMAS? OUR CULTURE

CONSIDER GIVING YOUR 25 TOKEN GIFTS ON THANKSGIVING OR VALENTINES

THANKSGIVING IS PERFECT SEASON TO GIVE GIFTS TO: MAIL CARRIER, TEACHERS, HAIRDRESSER, PREACHER I.E. TO PEOPLE YOU'RE SAYING THANK YOU TO

GIFT OF A LETTER IS ONE OF THE GREATEST GIFTS OF ALL ESPECIALLY APPRECIATED BY TEACHERS AS IT GOES INTO THEIR PROFESSIONAL FILE

LET'S FACE IT CHRISTMAS IS THE TIME OUR FRIENDSHIPS GET THEIR ANNUAL CHECK-UP

GIFTS ARE O.K. JUST CHECK YOUR MOTIVES AND PRAY ABOUT IT

DO NOT GIVE UNDER COMPULSION OBLIGATION

I'VE DONE THIS FOR TWO YEARS GOD DELIVERED ME FROM FEELING AS IF I NEEDED TO RECIPROCATE

IT'S USUALLY NOT ANY SINGLE THING YOU DO AT CHRISTMAS THAT
THROWS YOU INTO OVERLOAD IT'S THE CUMULATING

STRETCH WEAK RATIONALE TO USE " GOD GAVE US JESUS AS A GIFT
SO I GIVE PEOPLE I LIKE GIFTS"

HOWEVER MY PERSONAL POSITION ON GIFTS TO MY FRIENDS IS YES IF IT POINTS TO "THE GIFT" [SHOW EXAMPLES OF lst WREATH, ADVENT CALENDARS AND DEVOTIONAL BOOKS, WALNUTS & RICE, TREE NAIL]

[OUTLINE V. B.]

"NON- MONETARY GIFTS MOST APPROPRIATE AND MEMORABLE"

JUST 1 YR. LATER MOST PEOPLE CANNOT EVEN REMEMBER MATERIAL GIFTS

OUR FAMILY LOVES COUPONS, SHOW EXAMPLES

MY HUSBAND'S LOVE LANGUAGE IS PHYSICAL TOUCH AND CLOSENESS SO

EASY AND FUN TO GIVE HIM COUPONS FOR VARIOUS FORMS OF INDOOR

RECREATION WRITTEN VERY CRYPTICALLY [IN CASE THE KIDS FIND THEM]

[BE SURE YOU REDEEM THE ACTUAL COUPON AND PUT IT OR THROW IT AWAY. IT TOOK ME A WHILE BUT I REALIZED STEPHEN WAS USING HIS TWICE!

GIFT OF A LETTER OF APPRECIATION \ AFFIRMATION AUNTS, COUSINS, FRIENDS

GIFT OF SCRIPTURE - MOTHER HAS CHILDREN MEMORIZE PASSAGE FOR A GIFT

END WITH THOSE OF YOU WITH GIFT ENVELOPES COMING TO MIC TO READ DESCRIPTIONS OF GREAT AND AWFUL GIFTS THEN Q. & A. W\ TIME LEFT

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