So I thought I got a real good deal on my secondhand books and videos I bought Thursday.  Then, today I discover (well, finally followed a link a friend sent me via email) Christian Books.com .  Initially I wailed at the waste!  Oh me, oh my!  "3:16" by Lucado for $3!!!  And I thought I got it at a good price for $16!!!  Sigh.   I checked the shipping and handling charges too...which often are more than the cost of buying it locally.  Shipping and handling to Canada is $7.50 for the one book.  I could have saved $6 overall. 

On the other hand I'd prefer to support local businesses.  In the interests of simple living and global warming, I'd rather buy locally...and secondhand if possible.  Which I've done for the most part.  So while I've paid that extra $6, I feel I've done so with a free conscience.  The book is new, but the money goes to support inner city ministries.  The bookstore I purchased it from is a non-profit organization.   And, when I'm finished with the book I can always pass it on to our church library.

Sometimes I like to see how much good I can do when I acquire and disperse things.  It's kind of a game at this point...and it's fun! 

N.B. The library didn't have "3:16" to borrow, and it takes months for them to order material in.  Otherwise, this would be the cheapest route to go...and one I'd take.

One of my favourite books on simple living is "'Tis A Gift To Be Simple" by DeGrote-Sorenson and Sorenson.  They give 19 steps towards the simple life from the Christian perspective.  I lost the list for about a year.  I found it again today.  It's nice to be able to go through it and see we've made some progress.  But we still have a long way to go! 

1. "Begin and continue with prayer."  The goal is to follow Jesus.
2. "Decide on some small steps to take that allow your faith to become more active in love."  Pick simple things like setting  up a regular prayer time, finding someone who needs help, giving more to church and charity.  Act.  Don't postpone. 
   
3. "Deepen your devotional life." Have regular prayer, reflection and Bible reading.  Read literature relating to your faith and how to live it.  This is something I've been working on this year, as you all know.  With mixed success.  I love it when I take the time to really dig into God's word though!
4. "Discuss your intentions and progress with others". It not only helps motivate you, but it teaches and motivates them as well.  Start small, with family and friends.  Work with your spouse, and then maybe with a broader group.  Discuss time and financial use.  Paul is not a Christian.  He is more interested in the environmentalist side of living simply.  So I have to be careful how I go about things here.  I have to find secular 'reasons' to convince him to come on board.  If I so much as suggest it is church related, he digs his heels in.  My hope is that eventually, God will open his eyes to see the truth.
   
5. "Do zero-based, faith-based budgeting."  How much of your stuff do you really need?  How much of your income do you really need?  Paul and I have really struggled with this in 2007.  It is because of this that I am constantly de-cluttering, sorting, selling, and giving away our stuff.  Paul and I looked at each other the other day and nailed down exactly what we'd like to keep, if it was just stuff we felt called to do or that were our passions in life.  I foresee a lot of stuff leaving the house the coming year.
   
6. "Do that zero-based, faith-based budgeting also with the use of your time, your talent, and the influence that you have." Ooooh!  So cool!  That is what I've been focusing on in 2007, and continue to focus on this year, till Paul gets on track with me.  God has given us wonderful gifts, and He has a purpose for doing so!  He has a plan for you and me.  I've been searching since reading this book, trying to find out God's purpose for me.  I've found two books very helpful:  "Pathway to Purpose for Women" and "Discover Who You Are".
7. "Give special thought to your role in the church and its mission." - I know I'm not a leader in the church congregation I'm at.  That's fine by me.  I think I'm there to tease them into deeper faith.  My mission has been to work around the edges and outside the church in different capacities...like this blog.  I have also recently given consideration to world missions.  I must admit I am not enamoured with most of them.  And if someone asked me where to put their money, I'd say "back in your pocket!"  I have been singularly disenchanted with what I see happening in world missions.  I 'bought' Dad and his new wife certain items from a gift catalogue.  I ended up receiving a card saying the money had been totally redirected somewhere else.  This outfit will not see any more of my money.  What I learned was it is best to give to people in need locally -- where you can be sure your money gets where you want it to go.  What I also learned is to carefully check out the organization you plan to support...to be sure they are doing what they say they are doing.  I feel as if I was caught by false advertising.  World missions will never grow if they continue to foster that kind of image!
   
8. "Give special consideration to the vulnerable".  The hungry, homeless, friendless, prisoners, etc.  These people surround us on a daily basis.  It doesn't take much just to say 'Hello, how are you?" and actively listen to them.
9. "Give wisely."  The authors suggest exercising restraint at Christmas time, and consider the needy as well as our own family.
   
10. "Begin to see the world through the eyes of God."  Practice having and using the heart and mind of Christ when dealing with others.  That's a big task for some people.  I've met a lot of church people who are very 'Christianly' to the people they witness to, but are cut-throat back-stabbers to other Christians in the church.  And heaven forbid anyone know someone in church who's committed a sin!  They will never be forgiven by other Christians, but they will, thankfully, be forgiven by God.  It worries me when I go into a church now-a-days and find such a judgmental people acting as God's emmisaries.
11. "Turn off the TV"  Spend more time with people.
12. "Spend more time with family."  Goes with the above!
13. "Help your children from the youngest age on up learn the joy of giving."  In our home the girls grew up with "Save 1/3, Give 1/3 and then you can spend the rest".  I'm not sure how much of that they actually followed through on, but I remember lemonade stands to save the whales, and adopting a dolphin, and the foster child we had (that we dropped because we never heard from the organization or the family to know the money actually got where it was needed!).
14. "Take care of God's creation" Basic conservation ideas and being earth-friendly.  Decreasing your carbon footprint on the earth.
15. "Have a heart for the world"  Keep up to date on the news, what's happening where, who and what needs prayer.  Be generous to legitimate world relief agencies.  Make your politicians aware of your interest in reducing hunger and poverty in the world.
16. "Make out your will so that what you leave behind continues to fulfill the mission of Chist."  The church can't do God's work without money...period.  We need to find constructive ways to use our money to bring others to Christ.
    
17. "Do what you do with joy and thanksgiving as a celebration of God's grace."  It becomes a witness to God and Jesus when you do.
18. "Consider Jesus your most trusted advisor."  Ask "What would Jesus do?"  Search the Bible and pray for answers.
19. "Avoid at all costs the temptation to become self-righteous." Pride comes from Satan.  Let him keep it.

So in case you haven't figured it out, I just love this little book!  I ordered it through interlibrary loan, and then bought it secondhand on-line.  Then loaned it to a friend and have not seen it since.  I hope she enjoyed it as much as I did!  No problem...I'll just order another copy secondhand.  Literature like this I don't mind paying for and passing around!