30 Days of Nothing: Day 12

Blah Blah Blah. I was tempted. I wanted Starbucks. I wanted a burger and fries at work. I wanted a candy bar at the grocery store. I wanted to stop at the liquor store to replace my wine box (chill....I buy about one box a month and often I share some of it!)

I still buy milk. I still buy gas. I bought paper plates to donate to Banana Boy's classroom.

Basically, I'm spoiled! If I sit right down and think it over, this 30 Days of Nothing isn't really hard. We've got plenty of food in the house. There is ice cream and chocolate chips and wine and there is money for gas and milk in the check book.

I feel kind of phony with this whole thing. So I'm saying no to Starbucks. Yay, me. I'm saying no to a cheeseburger at work. Yay, me.

There are people who can't get to work because they don't have money for gas. Or can't take their child to the doctor because they don't have health insurance or cash to pay. There are people somewhere who have not eaten today.

Poor me. No Starbucks.

It's like a little game. It IS a little game.

I lamented to Mr. GT at the beginning of this that we really hadn't planned ahead and 'stocked up.' Just fine, he replied. People on a truly limited income don't have that luxury.

I miss my coffee cream.

Sour cream would be good on our beans and rice tonight. At least we have cheese.

I don't think my kids have noticed at all. Rose Bud maybe a little.

Maybe we're going about this all wrong, but I'm considering this sort of a failed experiment. Should we be suffering? Is that the point? You make up your own rules.

I said I would post about my goals for this project at some point, and here we are at Day 12. Time for goals!

Goals.... goals....

For myself, I'm finding it useful to curb my impulse spending. That was one of my goals.

I'd like to increase our awareness and empathy for some of the tough roads people in other parts of the world have to travel. We haven't done any of those projects yet. What is is like to eat only rice every day? Or at least rice at every meal. What is eat like to eat nothing but a small cup of rice all DAY? What is it like to drink unsafe water? What is it like to walk a mile or more for clean water? What is it like to really have to make an effort to worship our God? What is it like to be afraid to?

I think those were the two biggies for me. I'm not sure what Mr. GT is getting from all of this.

Oh, BTW, despite having canceled the order, his pop tarts came in today! Guess we'll be eating organic brown sugar/cinnamon pop tarts when we've run out of everything else.....

And then God says to me....

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)

Blessings,
Sandwich