A large number of the world's poor can fit all of their possessions into a small suitcase. Today my study challenges you to make it personal and imagine you live in a poor family, in a poor country. Select five of your possessions and pack them into a suitcase or duffel bag.
FIVE!
Five? Seriously?
Just five...
And I know I should be sensible about this too right? Like...my laptop is out of the question. Even if I took it, I wouldn't have electricity to charge it. Lucky for me I've spent time in a third-world country, and had to wait on my luggage. ;o) I know what is 'necessary' for me. lol But five? I can fit more than five things in a carry on bag. I can fit WAY more than that in my purse!
After much thought, here are my top five:
1. The Good Book -- My Study Bible
2. A good sturdy pot. I'm no 'Pioneer Woman' with fancy turquoise crockery but I get by.
I could cook and boil water with ease. Of course I'd grab my biggest one, but it's got leftovers in it, in the fridge. Wow... I have a refrigerator. :s
3. Extra underwear. I'm not about to show them, so you get a view of the front of my dresser. ;) But after spending time in Haiti.... clean underwear. Ranks right up there with my Bible.
4. Aaaah.... toothbrush. 'Nuff said.
5. My iPhone. Yes, my iPhone.
One of the things I remember so vividly was going to church on Sunday morning when we were in Haiti and there was one bench along an outside wall that had a very long extension chord with a surge bar outlet LOADED with cell phone chargers! It was actually kinda funny, but at the same time, you should have seen people waiting to charge their phones.
The iPhone.... so many possibilities. Maybe I would charge people to use it.
And as I'm thinking of my top five, I'm looking around the house at all the things I'd have to leave behind. We...are....so.... SPOILED. Our material lives tend to become 'normal', expected....
Most people in third world countries live on less than $2.00 per day. Can you imagine? My electric meter spins WAY faster than that. Not to mention the food, personal hygiene items and cleaning supplies we go through in a day.
And as I sit here tapping away on my new laptop, watching the winter olympics on my BIG screen television and listening to my iPod I feel empty.
My son went on his first youth retreat tonight. They are attending Acquire The Fire in Kansas City and he is so excited. I'm grateful for the friends he's going with and my friend Joy and her husband Jack for chaperoning. I wish we could have gone. He packed his bag last night for his trip. I'll meet him again on Sunday morning at church when they return. And for 30 plus hours, what did he pack?
- Sleeping bag and pillow (begged for an air mattress and I told him NO!)
- Clean change of clothes and his extra hoodie because he's stylish like that.
- TWO ball caps. Because we must be coordinated right? My fashion conscious teen has an OU cap to match his sweatshirt and his Jesus Saves cap for concert night.
- His cell phone (and charger)
- His digital camera (and charger)
- His iPod
What didn't he pack that mom had to include:
- toothbrush & toothpaste
- deoderant (someone will thank me)
- brush (his hair is totally out of control.... imagine a blonde afro, seriously)
- his cooler full of food! Hellow!
I guess that's just one more reason God made mothers. I just wish I could be a mother to so SOO many more. What would you consider your prized possessions? It also brings to mind the earthquake again. Imagine if you were fortunate enough to own a home and some other worldly things and in a instant it was all gone. The people we've seen left with nothing. We need to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
One last thought to leave you with.... tomorrow is about being rich.
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