Stuff That Matters in Life

Katy’s Weblog

Tom Hsieh is an inspiration to me. How many Gen Xers do you know would choose to deny himself of a big house, nice car, vacations, etc., choose to live on $38,000 and give away the rest of his $200k+ a year salary, choose to live in a lower economic neighborhood to share God’s love?

In this generation of excesses, Tom Hsieh lives counter-culturally.

I wish I was that mature and that far ahead in living for Christ when I was his age. Fortunately, it’s never too late.

I am inspired to live a at least a portion of that kind of life.

I read a blog of a mom who has committed for one year not to buy anything she doesn’t need. In that same spirit, here is what I passed up recently:

  • A dozen roses for $9.99 at Von’s. What a deal, but I don’t need it.
  • Any pie for $5.99 at Marie Callendar’s during the month of February. I was tempted on February 29th, but I don’t need it.
  • $5.00 PinkBerry, I passed by it yesterday, but I don’t need it.

I’ve never been extravagant in my spending. Being self-employed, we always live frugally to save for a rainy day. Lately, the storm is hitting pretty hard, with real estate down in the dumps. I am inspired by Tom Hsieh to live for Christ and store my treasures in heaven.

…why no one has come up with another umbrella design that is more resistant to wind?

…why sporks and knorks have not caught on as formal silverware?

…why no graduate has refused to wear the ugly square hats? Why hasn’t someone redesigned it?

…why Build-a-Bears are popular? They are not that cute!

…why don’t publishers print books in standard sizes so book shelves can be uniform sizes and all books would fit nicely?

…why I still have a Rolodex on my desk even though I have most of my contacts stored electronically?

Gordon MacDonald offered 4 principles to live by that I would like to apply to myself:

1. Experience conversion on a daily basis. “I want the freshness of conversion every day,” MacDonald said. Each morning, he recommits his life to Jesus as part of his devotional time. “It’s fun to accept Jesus all over again.”

MacDonald also recommits himself to his marriage vows every morning, and have seen his marriage strengthened.

I think those are great ways to start the day. I’m going to try it.

2. Support your life with daily discipline. MacDonald literally wrote the book on discipline – Ordering Your Private World, which I read many years ago. Recently I read The Life You’ve Always Wanted which is also about practicing the disciplines, but coming from a slightly different perspective. I am an ENFP – that’s my excuse for being undisciplined. However, I am working on correcting my bad habits.

3. Live out of a sense of call. MacDonald asked God, “Do you have a fresh call for a 64-year-old guy?” As I consider this period of my life – a mid-life crisis – I also am asking God, “Do you have a fresh call for this almost-50-year-old gal?”

4. Develop community around you. In American society, we value busyness, tasks, and goals. It takes some effort, out of our ordinary routine to get into conversation, spend time, and develop relationship with people. I would like to spend some effort in developing my community of friends.

I am rereading this book of short mysteries by the famous dame Agatha Christie. I’ve forgotten who the murderers were. They are never who you think they are.

Hercule Poirot is still my favorite detective. I love the way he talks: “…I am sorry to hurry you, but I am keeping a taxi – in case it should be necessary for me to go to Scotland yard; and we Belgians, madame, we practice the thrift.”

Practice the thrift – I’m going to use that phrase.

Church friends

Filed under Generalby Joyful

I’ve heard it said often, but I am just starting to really understand it for myself in a personal and deeper way, that church is really all about relationships with people.

Sure, there’s the teaching and the learning, and there is the music. But what is really important in a church are the relationships among the people.

Read more of “Church friends”

I had a lot of fun teaching the church kids today.

I told them a joke and they laughed!

They say silly things and I laughed!

Sometimes I get impatient or frustrated, but how can you not love those kids when they say stuff like this:

Me, teaching a serious lesson: Some people say God is not real. He’s just a myth and only kids believe in God. But there are a lot of really smart people, such as scientists who studied all about the universe, and they believe in God. You can be confident that God is real.

Sean, with a serious face: I know God is real. And so are aliens.

Ok, Sean, you are so cute! 🙂