Warning: I might step upon a soap box.
It is HARD to live counterculturally! Right now you might be asking, "What does live counterculturally mean?" Let me share with you. Our bible study group has been working through a book titled, Living with Less so Your Family Has More. It is a great book, but lets face it...we are NOT a "less" society. We like the more idea, but not at the cost of (GASP) less!
In this book the authors, Jill and Mark Savage, discuss topics related to living with less (less stress, less money, less STUFF) so you can give your family more (more time, more energy, more INTENTIONAL focus). (Hence the catchy title!) We are well into the meat of the book, but the first part is about setting a vision for your family. A long term, where do we want to be/what do we want to be doing, type of vision. They suggest this type of vision in order to keep you set on the path that your family will take. Why? Because it is HARD to live counterculturally.
Through doing this study, we have set a family vision and have been trying to mold our family into this countercultural mindset. Guess who is not a fan --- the devil. He wants us to be too busy, too stressed, too tired. That is when he can do his finest work. He wants us to believe that the world is right. God LOVES the countercultural mindset because it gives us less of the world and MORE of Him! That should be our vision. MORE of HIM! It might not be the most popular choice of living or the easiest, but if living counterculturally means more of God, that is what I choose.
One more warning: If you choose to pick up this book, expect your life to be changed...in wonderfully painful ways!
2 comments:
Amen.
I have thought a lot about this idea, too. Being counter cultural. I think that it has translated into a few different norms at our house. Stopping doing disposable things - plates, diapers, wipes, basically... all but toilet paper... and stopping eating out, having less meat and processed foods and convenience meals, not buying loads for gifts this year... and its tough. I guess it is much more easy to be materialistic and disposable in a culture that values both things! I didn't realize how much until I stopped working full time just how much society also values two full incomes to do all the things with the money... and that is tough, too. I am really interested in the book, too.
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