Cars, Homes, and Bank Accounts

As of this month we have lived in Cambodia for 18 months.  Year and a half. Sometimes it can be extremely hard to not think about what we could of accomplished in 18 months.  Payed off a new car, saved for a house, gone to grad school, maybe we would of gotten ready for a baby (no big ideas we are still waiting several more years).  But we have done none of those things. BUT we have done many other things, lived in Cambodia, started ministries, gave away bikes, educated kids, lead bible studies, meet the needs of the poor, and invested into the lives that surround us daily.  I know in my heart that new cars, homes, and degrees don't define us as humans, or me as a person, but rather what defines me is the character of me heart and the heartbeat of my soul.

I do love things like homes, cars, and savings accounts, because they are not bad things by any measure, but they can tempt me to lose my true character, the character that God has created me to be.  I desire for my head to catch-up to my heart and begin to remember once again that God doesn't care in the slightest about any of those things, but does care deeply for His people, and wants his people to follow in His love.

While thinking about all of this, a quote from Donald Miller recently struck me when he said, "Jesus accumulated friends and allowed them to write about Him, to talk about Him, testify about Him.  The Bible reveals that Jesus ate with people, attended parties, drank with people, worked with people, prayed with people, and traveled with people.  Jesus built our faith system entirely around relationship, forgoing everything else."

I am never own a home, I might only drive a used car (or a moto for that matter), and CU could possibly be the end of my educational career, but despite all of that I can rest in that Jesus isn't counting accomplishment marks like the rest of us are (let's all be honest here) and that He loves me, and He loves what Chris and I are doing here in Cambodia.

I know we all have heard it before, but I can't seem to remember it so I guess it is worth blogging about (for me at least), but we can't take anything from this world with us, not even my 5-year old, hand-me-down love of my life jeans (thank you again Allie for those).  BUT I can take with me the gospel of Christ and the grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness that He freely gives.

All to say, my desire is to continually be reminded that life is about relationships, about people, about love.  Riding in nice cars to meet your friends is awesome, having a new home to invite people into is awesome, and a savings account to be able to give generously is awesome.  But without relationships it all just goes down the crapper...