Tag: Small Footprint

“A Small Footprint” #2

Path Without End

portland-protests-2 Greed is not green!

Minimalism without contentment is just torment. 

Jesus taught the life of the small footprint. As a follower of Christ, and someone who left traditional church because of its materialistic ways, I am very confused by a lot of what I see among Progressives. I’m beginning to think it’s just talk. I’m beginning to think that as a 65 year old country boy who follows Jesus, I’m more minimalist and green than most these people constantly screaming “Go Green!”

What was that on the Mag-Mile in Chicago on Sunday night? Mass looting by a bunch of violent greedy people from 11:00 pm. till early morning? 13 Officers injured? 2 people shot? Over 100 arrested? Hundreds breaking windows and robbing stores and banks in a mass attack? What is the true “WHY” in all this?

I see a lot of violence, greed, and confusion. They call for defunding police at the same time their hand is on the phone hitting speed dial for 911 because someone is breaking in their house! Media screams not to send children back to school at the same time NYC is? I have become Alice in Wonderland! I’ve been swallowed by the Rabbit Hole!

It’s easy to say you want to be a minimalist while you still have a bunch of nice stuff. I heard a lot of people saying: “You don’t live in Chicago! Mind your own business! These people deserve to have nice stuff too!” Oh really? Wow.

“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.” (1st Tim. 6: 6)

The nature of “most” people is to want nice things. Personally, I think there is a lot to be said for seeking minimalism through the Spirit of God. True godliness with contentment is great gain. A fire is raging across this nation and many are not shouting about “color” as much as they are shouting they want “theirs”. But how do they want to get it? Hand outs? Special treatments? By way of hard work and wise consistent choices? Greed is not green.

I’m a watcher. I always have been. When I look at the fires raging I see a lot of discontent, contradiction, and ungodliness. No way will these people be happy even if more “special benefits” are given. They claim to just want a job and a chance. Well I got news, the jobs are out there even with Covid. I became a truck driver to earn money. It was hard work. There are lots of openings. My wife works for Cracker Barrel. They said they can’t get people to come back to work because unemployment is paying so well. My wife went back to work because that’s what honest hard working people do, even at age 62!

I see a bunch of hypocrites. Here’s a few tips. 1). Stay away from drugs. 2.) Don’t get drunk. Stay faithful and don’t sleep around! 3.) Stay honest. Don’t break laws! 4.) Educate yourself. Learn something! Become useful. 5.) Work hard. 6.) Be dependable and consistent. 7.) Prove yourself. 8.) Don’t be greedy! Seek a small footprint and be content! 9.) Seek wisdom. 10.) My own personal favorite: Love God and people! How can you say you love God and hate your brother?

I’ve watched a lot of people spend considerable money to buy a “Tiny House”. I didn’t know a small footprint had to be so expensive? But I’m waiting for the shows to come out about all the people who tried Tiny House living, and after 3 months were miserable! (And moved out.) These shows have not been allowed yet, but as a student of human nature, believe me they will come.

“Contentment”/ “Simplicity” is hard for a lot of people. They want things. It looks so good from the outside looking in, but once you’re in that tiny space and trying to find a place for the latest “thing” you’re craving? Those will be some very fun reality shows to watch.

Why is human nature so discontent? We always seem to want what we don’t have. When we finally get it, then it becomes old quickly and we want something else we don’t have. That is unless…you are a true minimalist. If you love simplicity and are truly content in small ways. How is it some of us have this and so many don’t? Who needs a mansion or fancy car with all the gadgets? What happened to the wisdom of less can be more?

Modern church has shot itself in the foot when it comes to materialism. What happened to “the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want?“ Since I left the complex and shallow modern church system to seek simple church and early church ways, my life has grown spiritually more than I ever imagined. I love our simple church and the people I fellowship with in our home, and everywhere. We call it > CHURCH EVERYWHERE.

Be still my soul. Seek peace.

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God blesses those who work for peace, for they shall be called the children of God.

“A Small Footprint” #1 / Microchurch

Path Without End

portland-protests-2 “Burning Ancient Foundations”

Is there still an American dream? How have we gotten to such a place, that a significant number of our people no longer see America as the Land of Opportunity? They burn our Flag and Bibles. They add a pig to the mix to show their disgust. They set fire to our ancient foundations, those that have been proven by time, history, facts, stats, and God’s Word…but let it burn! Who are these people? Is this the definition of a Progressive?

I must admit, a lot of greedy and materialistic people live in America. For those who love money, the Capitalistic system is ideal. This new generation loves nature, and wants to leave a “small footprint” as they say. In this I agree with them. I am very much of this same nature. Jesus lived a life of the small footprint. I follow Christ, but the modern church seems to be lovers of material and money just like the world, and so…this new generation has no respect for them. Can you blame them?

I see it now. This hate and disgust is rooted in a righteous cause. If the church has become like the world, if there is no bright city upon a hill to inspire a righteous standard, then violence grows in many forms. Disgust grows in many forms.

Jesus warned against materialism and called us to be servants, but we would be kings. Kings do not desire a small footprint. Some of these preachers even have personal jets and live in mansions. Wow…Jesus rode a donkey. How is it a large portion of the American church fails to understand this? They cling to the Old Testament and reject the New. They desire New Testament grace, but refuse taking up their own cross!

Once upon a time, the American dream was mainly about Freedom, but as the church became more worldly, so has the world. Sounds odd, does it not? More and more the American dream became about money, and the Capitalistic system became the perfect vehicle for power and greed. It’s hard to reason with people who feel they have a righteous cause, even though they be not righteous themselves, nor in their methods.

Jesus warned us about greed and the love of money. He gave us an example of keeping things simple. I’m not a Progressive, but I left the modern church system for many of the same reasons Progressives now burn the American Flag and Bibles. I see no hope for America, unless the church gets back to what Jesus actually did and taught.

More greed and love of money will fill this land, and it makes some of us sick to our stomach to the point of disgust! God’s Word says a form of Elijah would return in the last days. Elijah had no interest in material things. He left a very small footprint. The Old Testament closed with this promise of a return of Elijah, and then came many years of silence… until John the Baptist…of the spirit of Elijah…living in the desert and leaving a small footprint…but also challenging the religious leaders and government of his time!

“Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives. His preaching will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.” (Malachi 4: 5-6)

Is that a threat? Is God threatening us? Was it not Elijah who prayed for a curse upon the land in his time, and God granted it? Did not Elijah pray for no rain? Did he not pray for drought, leading to famine, no prosperity, and a curse? What would prosperity preachers say of this? Is not Elijah speaking to us again?

I think Micro church is also a form of getting back to the “small footprint” our Lord exemplified himself. I believe God’s Anointing is upon this new wine of simple ways. And if the church fails to wake up and listen to the message of Elijah and John the Baptist, then the curse continues, and it grows, until the church finally humbles itself once again, seeks God’s face, repents of her sin, and prays, like Jonah finally prayed.

Jonah was the source of the storm. These pagan sailors did not want to throw him overboard. They fought hard to save him. But the storm continued growing until they had no other choice but throw the prophet, the man of God, overboard, into the raging sea.

It is my hope and prayer that the new wine, missional movement, Micro church, is a return of a form of Elijah, and the Anointing that was upon him, and even the greater Anointing of our Lord. I hope we take this message to heart.

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“Yinney” – Chapter 10

Path Without End

sloth_blog Yinney was happy. He had his 7th Day Tree. He had the lagoon to swim in. He had the Presence of God, and now he also had a vision. His life had purpose, meaning, and passion, and yet he had very little in the way of material things. His was a way of simplicity. One of Yinney’s teachings began with a question, “What is the ‘least’ stuff that makes you the ‘most’ happy?”

The question was deeper than most realized, or took the time to realize. Creatures of simplicity are aware of the law of diminishing return. It’s not more and more that makes us more happy. The focusing of a life upon their own special purpose is the happiness we seek. Therefore, we need our basic comforts met, and we need meaningful ‘fellowship’, but beyond that we mostly need to find our ourself, and who we were designed by God to be.

Yinney knew his gifting and found peace in that. He was a teacher of spiritual truths. He loved reading the ancient writings, especially of the Hebrews. His specialty was the understanding of both the old and new covenant, and why God’s relationship with man had to come by such an odd way. He knew many mysteries of the universe, but still had many more to search, and he loved it. Peace he had, and peace he taught.

Most people are living a fictional character the world has slowly shaped them into, but they have not found themself. Happiness continually eludes them and they do not know why. They have become a predator chasing more and more stuff, always hungry, always on the hunt for that next thing. They do not realize they are living as a character playing a part on a stage, but not the true self, in essence, they are fiction.

Yinney had his tree; this was his simple home. The tree provided food, shelter, and a certain amount of comfort. He was content in this simplicity. He also had a very rich inner world, because in his wisdom he focused more on soul than flesh. He loved his Creator, which brought relationship and fellowship. This had recently surprised him with a great vision while he was meditating at the bottom of the lagoon. The vision consisted of creating a place of communion, teaching, refuge, and there would be a man.

What was the message this man would carry back to his own land? And who was the man? How would he end up deep in the Amazon? How does he find his way to Yinney’s tree? Is he a traveler that simply gets lost? Surely there is more to it than that. And the vision said he had three years to prepare. But prepare what? A special place for the man to see? A particular teaching the man will need? Perhaps both? He did not know. He would follow his heart. He would follow the beauty of slow and it would unfold slowly, like a blossoming flower day by day.

People do not intend to become a fictional character. It happens very innocently. They have become fiction. They are not real. They may play the part well, but they do not know themself. God does not know them either, for they are far from his design in them, and so they do not know themself, they are but an actor playing a part on a stage, but who are they?

From the time of a child we have teachers. How else can we learn? And we love and admire many of our teachers, such as our parents, and we have a desire to please those ones we love. We desire the approval of those we respect. However, in our desire to please them, we may forget to ask, “Who has God designed me to be? What is my own spiritual DNA, for we are all a unique individual upon this earth.”

So before we are old enough to understand, we have slowly evolved into a character who pleases those we are influenced by, and this includes all the pressures of this world, which come at us from every direction. And in all this we forget to seek the one who absolutely knows us best…GOD.

Yinney was a sloth, and he knew it. He had no desire to be anything other than what God had gifted him to be. He lived in his personal design from God. As he pondered all these things, guess who flew in? “Lu-Lu!” he shouted. “I found my sacred tree! Welcome to my home!” And then, in a much more serious tone he added, “Boy do I have some things to tell you.”