the gospel on monday morning

Thoughts of Mr. STRAUB:

I think it's immoral that people are starving to death.
I think it's immoral that so many people are living on the streets.
I think it's immoral that our lives are so centered on acquiring more things when quite clearly the gospel has a totally different message.
It's about caring for each other.

i ran across this story on pbs.com, Religion & Ethics. Interesting life-story of a man who has given up everything for his mission and his "obsession" with helping the poor.

the older i get the more i realize how burdonsome it is to keep track of all the things i acquire. i notice that shopping has even lost it's luster as i look @ my closet which is full of clothes i don't want to wear. i wish i could give them all away & alternate 3 outfits throughout the week.

i spend so many hours staring into my closet.

part of this is because at my core i am a creative person and feel a need to express that in EVERYTHING i do during the day, including clothing and decorating myself. i love color and creativity and beauty. but sometimes i wonder how much of that God gives a rip about. But then again He created all that is beautiful...and He is THE creative mastermind...

so i'm torn, can you tell? freedom for me is detatchment from things that don't bring joy. all the things you can't take with you. and a good friend of mine says all the time, the most important part of life is relationships. it's all about our relationships.

you mean it's really not about my car or my job or my hairdo or my travels or my bank account or my wasteline or even what i do to make myself look spiritual? what about my home or my 401K or my ego?

the gospel is powerful and penetrating and hard to swallow. but it's freedom and joy and release. mr. straub said wisely, "Happiness isn't measured by how much you can acquire, you know. I think it's maybe how much you can let go of."