Welcome to the Unites States of America, where there is plenty to do, even more to accomplish, and so very much to experience.  A place where the American dream can be translated into early retirement, big boats, and care-free living.  Where we work and work and work and play and play and play, all the live long day (and night)….

What a wonderful world of distractions.  I often wonder how much a product of my own culture I really am.   If global income was broken down per-person, each person would get a little over 5,000.  American’s make over 35,000 per person - 7 times more money per-person than anywhere in the world.  Over 1 billion people live on a dollar a day.  It can be a humbling thought.

Are we really doing everything we can?  I know i’m not.  I shovel 28 bucks into an envelope every month and feel like i’m doing my part.  But it’s not enough…and i’m certainly comfortable with my lifestyle.  Heck, i can see myself living the way I am now the rest of my life.  It’s such a struggle to become content with material things, worldly ideals.  We often fail to keep it all in perspective.

As believers we’re called to be different, set apart from the world and everythign in the world.  The world tells us what success is, beauty, love, contentment, status, power, and tells us why each is crucial to everyday.  So sometimes we fall into the trap of simply accepting every little bit of of it just because we’re immersed in every little bit of it.

How difficult it can be to focus on his eternal kingdom - and not the one we’re making for ourselves.

“Therefore, I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they?
“Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan? Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith?
“Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.”

Matthew 6:25-34