Comments on: What *does* it cost? http://urbanidealist.com/2008/08/14/what-does-it-cost/ A series of semi-connected Stories and Pictures Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:59:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Amy http://urbanidealist.com/2008/08/14/what-does-it-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-493 Amy Sat, 16 Aug 2008 23:49:04 +0000 http://urbanidealist.com/?p=299#comment-493 WOW! God's timing is amazing! The end of that video says "some things cost more than you realize" which is so, so true and I think our consumeristic (is that a word?) society needs to be reminded of that often. Bryce and I just had a conversation on the way home from the High School camp we just served at. About 100 kids, 15-18 year olds, just compiled their pocket change and some spare cash they had from summer jobs. Money they could have spend consuming...but instead they paid for a house for a family in Mexico! A HOUSE! They raised $2400 in one week and changed someone's life! We even talked about the "things" they weren't buying. They were really moved to realize that they didn't even sacrifice anything...they just put together some "mad money." It was SO cool!!! Okay, so, this is going off on a tangent... Anyway, amazing things happening all around the world every minute! Thanks for sharing!!! WOW! God’s timing is amazing! The end of that video says “some things cost more than you realize” which is so, so true and I think our consumeristic (is that a word?) society needs to be reminded of that often. Bryce and I just had a conversation on the way home from the High School camp we just served at. About 100 kids, 15-18 year olds, just compiled their pocket change and some spare cash they had from summer jobs. Money they could have spend consuming…but instead they paid for a house for a family in Mexico! A HOUSE! They raised $2400 in one week and changed someone’s life! We even talked about the “things” they weren’t buying. They were really moved to realize that they didn’t even sacrifice anything…they just put together some “mad money.” It was SO cool!!! Okay, so, this is going off on a tangent… Anyway, amazing things happening all around the world every minute! Thanks for sharing!!!

]]> By: Bri Johns http://urbanidealist.com/2008/08/14/what-does-it-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-491 Bri Johns Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:43:40 +0000 http://urbanidealist.com/?p=299#comment-491 Justin, you have a gift for passionate and relevant teaching. I saw this on Jen's blog and decided to check it out. Thanks for this. I needed to hear it. Justin, you have a gift for passionate and relevant teaching. I saw this on Jen’s blog and decided to check it out. Thanks for this. I needed to hear it.

]]> By: Nathanael Rowe http://urbanidealist.com/2008/08/14/what-does-it-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-489 Nathanael Rowe Sat, 16 Aug 2008 03:28:05 +0000 http://urbanidealist.com/?p=299#comment-489 Dude I have been struggling with this a lot. One day I was riding home from somewhere, and I saw this person sleeping under the bridge without a sleeping bag. I thought to myself, self you have lots of sleeping bags ride home and give one to this person. When I got home, I talked my self out of it. Eventually I gave all my extra stuff to a guy I know who does homeless ministries, but I still feel like such a pig for having all the crap that I do. I am honestly trying to get to a point where I only own what I can put on my motorcycle. I sold my truck, and a lot of my furniture. I have more to get rid of still, but I feel very passionately about having less stuff. Its almost as if our stuff enslaves us. We have to keep it up, and we don't want to move because we have to much of it. I think Jesus had it right by being able to go anywhere with out worrying about all his stuff. I think as Christians we need to live simpler and therefore more free lives. Sorry for writing so much. Dude I have been struggling with this a lot. One day I was riding home from somewhere, and I saw this person sleeping under the bridge without a sleeping bag. I thought to myself, self you have lots of sleeping bags ride home and give one to this person. When I got home, I talked my self out of it.

Eventually I gave all my extra stuff to a guy I know who does homeless ministries, but I still feel like such a pig for having all the crap that I do. I am honestly trying to get to a point where I only own what I can put on my motorcycle.

I sold my truck, and a lot of my furniture. I have more to get rid of still, but I feel very passionately about having less stuff. Its almost as if our stuff enslaves us. We have to keep it up, and we don’t want to move because we have to much of it. I think Jesus had it right by being able to go anywhere with out worrying about all his stuff. I think as Christians we need to live simpler and therefore more free lives.

Sorry for writing so much.

]]> By: Svest-in-law http://urbanidealist.com/2008/08/14/what-does-it-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-488 Svest-in-law Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:26:23 +0000 http://urbanidealist.com/?p=299#comment-488 Wow. Thanks for posting this Justin. I actually had the kids watch this with me and it's so interesting to hear their responses. Ethan actually said "wow, I am thankful for the shoes that that boy made for me." Which, though, his response made me think of the gratitude he has for the things that were made from sweat and blood, I still had to explain to him that these children don't have a choice and that they are not given a fair profit for the things they make for us. They are missing out on their childhood, and pushed into an unfair life to make things so that our life is better. That they are sacrificing their life for ours. That caught him off-guard and I could see his "wheels" trying to process that. I went on to ask him "what do you think we could do to help out these children?" He said "by not buying things that are made in China". We went on to have an extensive conversation about the sacrifices we should be willing to make in order to help these children. We talked about how the more products we buy from Asia, the more children are put to work. Ethan said "Oh no. Mom...I think my legos are made from China!" He then went on to say "I really really want that new set I am saving my money for, but I can't buy it if I know it's made from one of those factory's." I could see he was disappointed but more than willing to give up his desire. So we did a little research and found out that the lego blocks are NOT made in China, but made in Europe. You can imagine his relief! But this has been an eye opener for us and actually a great beginning to me teaching the children the effects or our American "Needs". This will be an interesting assignment for us all. Thanks Justin! Wow. Thanks for posting this Justin. I actually had the kids watch this with me and it’s so interesting to hear their responses. Ethan actually said “wow, I am thankful for the shoes that that boy made for me.” Which, though, his response made me think of the gratitude he has for the things that were made from sweat and blood, I still had to explain to him that these children don’t have a choice and that they are not given a fair profit for the things they make for us. They are missing out on their childhood, and pushed into an unfair life to make things so that our life is better. That they are sacrificing their life for ours. That caught him off-guard and I could see his “wheels” trying to process that. I went on to ask him “what do you think we could do to help out these children?” He said “by not buying things that are made in China”. We went on to have an extensive conversation about the sacrifices we should be willing to make in order to help these children. We talked about how the more products we buy from Asia, the more children are put to work. Ethan said “Oh no. Mom…I think my legos are made from China!” He then went on to say “I really really want that new set I am saving my money for, but I can’t buy it if I know it’s made from one of those factory’s.” I could see he was disappointed but more than willing to give up his desire. So we did a little research and found out that the lego blocks are NOT made in China, but made in Europe. You can imagine his relief! But this has been an eye opener for us and actually a great beginning to me teaching the children the effects or our American “Needs”.
This will be an interesting assignment for us all. Thanks Justin!

]]> By: Katie Barker http://urbanidealist.com/2008/08/14/what-does-it-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-487 Katie Barker Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:28:33 +0000 http://urbanidealist.com/?p=299#comment-487 Hi Justin, thanks for the video and your thoughts. I'd like to recommend the book "Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity" by Ronald J. Sider. I haven't finished reading it yet, but it's definitely got some good ideas in it. Hi Justin,
thanks for the video and your thoughts. I’d like to recommend the book “Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity” by Ronald J. Sider. I haven’t finished reading it yet, but it’s definitely got some good ideas in it.

]]> By: Diane Davis http://urbanidealist.com/2008/08/14/what-does-it-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-486 Diane Davis Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:40:03 +0000 http://urbanidealist.com/?p=299#comment-486 A very timely post for me personally. I just stole the Bono clip and put it on my blog. The other video will surely make my blog at another time too. Very powerful stuff. I love your thoughts on it... so glad I found your blog. :) A very timely post for me personally. I just stole the Bono clip and put it on my blog. The other video will surely make my blog at another time too. Very powerful stuff. I love your thoughts on it… so glad I found your blog. :)

]]> By: Christine http://urbanidealist.com/2008/08/14/what-does-it-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-485 Christine Fri, 15 Aug 2008 04:49:13 +0000 http://urbanidealist.com/?p=299#comment-485 such an eye opening reality check for commercialism, in any form. oh the comfort we have at the expense of others. thank you for this post...and while it pains me to think of little maisie, or ethan or avery, doing those very things, you're right; they too, are someone's children. such an eye opening reality check for commercialism, in any form. oh the comfort we have at the expense of others. thank you for this post…and while it pains me to think of little maisie, or ethan or avery, doing those very things, you’re right; they too, are someone’s children.

]]> By: erin :: the olive notes http://urbanidealist.com/2008/08/14/what-does-it-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-484 erin :: the olive notes Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:14:54 +0000 http://urbanidealist.com/?p=299#comment-484 love this video...it's been one of our favorites for a while now. We've been trying to be more conscious of this, although it's so hard - but every effort helps. love this video…it’s been one of our favorites for a while now. We’ve been trying to be more conscious of this, although it’s so hard - but every effort helps.

]]> By: Jen http://urbanidealist.com/2008/08/14/what-does-it-cost/comment-page-1/#comment-483 Jen Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:31:50 +0000 http://urbanidealist.com/?p=299#comment-483 Great post Justin. Gave me a little tear. Great post Justin. Gave me a little tear.

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