I went shopping with my sister at Target on Saturday night. It was quite amazing to think that all this stuff is literally today's treasure, tomorrow's trash.
In light of a culture that centers around disposable consumption, I wonder how my definition of "fiscal responsibility" changes. I feel like we're all little kids with free reign in the candy store. Nobody is there to say, "No." And if past experience is an indicator, "No," is sometimes a good thing.
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1, 2)
This verse highlights a key paradox in my life. On one hand, God grants us grace and freedom from eternal consequence.
Yet I continue to gauge my spiritual progress through "lack" of sin. For example, I "feel" like a "stronger" Christian today because I haven't done this or that in a while. When I think about my spiritual walk in those terms, isn't that the same as if I lived by the law (absent of grace)?
I don't think that it is healthy to frame my spiritual existence by the sins (or lackthereof) in my life.
The attempt to eradicate sins in my life is just one (small?) facet of the spiritual journey. One sliver of a giant painting. I think that God intends for us to have a much richer experience than simple adherence to the rules.
It's hard for me to comprehend that there are other aspects of a healthy spiritual life, but it's time to start looking and discovering.
Holy crap. The oldest member of this band is 11 years old. If I had kids like this - I'd be a really proud daddy... I'd throw elbows for these guys. Seriously better than the majority of hardcore or punk bands out there right now. I need to get their demo.
