Author Archive: slightlycrackedpots
Gratitude on Ted Talks
As we conclude our corporate reading of “Enough” I would like to say: THANK YOU! For reading the book, for thinking about money, time, and talent through the lense of Adam Hamilton. Thank you for posting your comments on the blog. Thank you for the many e-mails you have sent directly to me regarding different …
October 15-20: Epilogue: OVERCOMING FEAR
I have a magnet on my frig by Eleanor Roosevelt that reads: “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” Without fear… What does a life look like without fear? Is it possible that the opposite of …
October 8-13: Chapter 4: Defined by Generousity
How do YOU want to be remembered? What sort of legacy do you want to leave? I’ve thought about these questions my whole life. Which is why, in recent days, I’ve been trying to build bridges with relatives and people in my life in which I have either distanced myself or have been estranged by …
October 1 – 6, 2012: Chapter 3
Following college I entered seminary where I studied for four more years before entering into the ordination process. One of those years I lived in LaCenter, Washington. I was assigned a two-point parish – which means: two locations, one church. Highland Lutheran was nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains; to the north I could …
September 24-29: Chapter Two
Did you have any idea that the word ‘prodigal’ literally means “one who wastes money?” Who knew? Well, I guess Adam Hamilton did because he wrote about it in chapter two, page 31. A few years ago I spent some time thinking about the story of the prodigal son and I came to a deeper understanding …
September 17-22: Chapter One
Brian Williams on the top five stories from last week.
Brian Williams said that over 50 million new iPhone 5’s would be sold between now and Christmas – even thought they will require a new cord that will not be compatible with any of the other cords iPhone users currently use to power their devices. He suggested that we all stand up to Apple by not buying it simply because of the cord issue. http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rock-center/49027969#49027969 (The iPhone bit begins at minute 4:07. I’m guessing the cord will not make a difference to those smart phone users that ‘must have’ the latest device, like Adam Hamilton wrote about on pages 10-11.
It’s true – we are people that like ‘stuff’. Heck, this week will prove the point as Pastor Bill and his many minions set up for the Fall Garage Sale. (Although we might argue that it’s a great way to recycle items that kids have grown out of or people do not use any more). Regardless, we are people that like ‘stuff’.
You’ve read about the American Dream, “affluenza”, and “credit-itis” in this chapter. And, I bet I’m not alone in the shame I felt when I got into debt using a Discover card during college…
Since then I have learned how to ‘get a healthy financial life’. It took a lot of work, it took a ton of discipline, and it took humility to admit that maybe I was using money to feel better about how I ‘thought’ other people saw me. What I needed was a change of heart, a change of desires, and a change about my own self worth. It’s great to know and even better to believe that no matter what mistakes we make with our lives: God specializes in transformations.
So, how are you doing with the questions at the end of this chapter? Are you struggling with credit card debt, shame, or affluenza? Do the biblical passages help you understand the sort of relationship God wants us to have with money? If so, how? If not, why not?
What are ways you might be able to simplify your life, your spending, or the way you spend your time?
Let me know when you get a chance.
Peace, deep and abiding peace.
Sept. 10-15, 2012: Introduction
Read 3 pages for the introduction to “Enough” as your assignment for GROWING IN FAITH this week. I heard part of an interview interview by Tess Vigeland on NPR’s Market Place Money this last Friday with Hill Harper. He is an actor on CSI NY and has written a book about handling wealth and money. To read more about the …
Contentment Prayer by Adam Hamilton
Lord, help me to be grateful for what I have, to remember that I don’t need most of what I want, and that joy is found in simplicity and generosity. Amen. Westwood Lutheran Church, ELCA in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, read “Enough” by Adam Hamilton during their academic 2011-12 school year. The senior pastor, Tania …
Hello All Saints!!!
This site was designed to help all of us think a little more deeply about stewardship. For a long time ‘stewardship’ meant the most boring Sunday service where people were asked to ‘cough up a little more money’ to pay for the staff and electricity bills. Today, stewardship = lifestyle. Stewardship is all about how …
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