On putting my money where my mouth is

I once blogged about giving of the fat of our lives and how that might have looked for me a couple years ago.  My 2012 theme was contentment seeking to reject more wordly things so I could give more.  Many clergy have sought this life through monasteries and such for years, so this is hardly profound.  But it's hard- In some ways, I have rejected some of these things, but other things seem to constantly fill their place.  I daily fight the urge to serve 2 masters.

I've justified that different ways.  For a long time I justified it because I was so busy being Christ's hands and feet to so many needy children at my previous school.  And looking back- as hard as that was and as much as I poured into loving them- I don't think I was completely wrong in that.  But I've since moved schools, so the emotional and physical sacrifice is different.

I also justified that because I was a single mom with a pretty dead beat ex husband.  Doing it all on my own was really hard in every way, including financially.  I worked really hard to give back the ways that I did, and I do think that the Lord understood.  But that excuse is also now null and void because the Lord has provided Jude and I an amazing husband/father figure who provides help for us in so many ways.

Currently, I do tithe to my church most of my 10% that I make.  The rest of that 10% I put towards sponsoring a child through Compassion International.  I do think that's an awesome thing to do.  I'd like to think that's enough.  And then I read books like Radical or Kisses for Katie, and I wonder if it really is.  Is minimum really good enough?  I mean Christ wandered homeless basically to share truth with the world.  Paul was in chains most of his ministry it seemed like.  Am I really being a good steward?  I just don't really know.  I know I've struggled with budgeting- but I don't need *more* money.  I need to use what I have better.  And I do want to do more.  I want to break the chains that tie me to materialism.  I don't want to need what this world offers.

Recently, the Lord has provided this little side job of sharing oils.  Now, lets not pretend that I make much more than some spending cash on it, because I don't.  But I make something- it's nice to have.  It's also not a need.  So I am committing this extra cash to The Lord.  For now, it's not so hard to give this little bits to him.  Maybe one day it will get harder.  But honestly, the Lord created this whole knowledge, opportunity, everything, so it's honestly His business.  Not mine at all.  (this is always the case...)  So anyway, I just want to say publicly so that I can be held accountable- Money I make off of Young Living oils will be given to a specific cause each month.  I'm going to share the cause each month hoping that I can keep myself on top of it.  And who knows- it could be fun to share what The Lord does with this!

So for this month I gave my $50 to Catholic Charities of Dallas to help with the unaccompanied minors entering our state.  If you aren't aware of the increasingly insane numbers of Latin American children coming across our borders with no families, you need to be.  It's incredibly sad to think about the amount of tragedy these children have experience and continue to experience.  I am hopeful to find more hands on ways to help these children.  Really, I'd just like to find a way to give them my extra bedroom!  But for now, I will be satisfied with donating.  (and if you know of a way I can help out more please let me know!)

I am so thankful The Lord provided oils for my healing and pray He can use this small sum to heal others!

If you would like more info about Young Living Essential Oils, email me at rinehartash@gmail.com or find me on facebook at Ashley Sitton to be invited to an online class myself and a friend are doing on July 31st.

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