seven: an experimental mutiny against excess

I am reading a book called seven.

And it is wrecking me.

The book’s tag line is “An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess,” it is unfortunately, exactly the book I needed to read at this very moment in life. Why?

My excess disgusts me. When my neighbors do not have enough to eat, do not have a coat this winter, gloves, hats, scarves, and I have more than I could ever wear in a single winter here in this moderate-winter-town.

I have decided, like the author Jen Hatmaker, to wage war on this unfortunate way of things. When I consume, consume, consume, the world’s poor gets…. poorer, and I add junk, not value to my life. I’m not trying to be a downer, I’m just trying to do something about something. As my pastor often references, do one thing about something, instead of nothing about everything. This is my attempt. One thing, or seven. Actually.

The premise is this. Seven things, seven months, and go.

The categories are:

1. Clothes
2. Food
3. Possesions
4. Media
5. Spending
6. Waste
7. Stress

Already, possesions has taken over me this month, the immediate. At first I was annoyed, but now I am disgusted at the junk. Getting rid of seven things each day for a month will be easy. How sad (for me) – Joyous to those who will recieve them. (I hope & pray).

I have clothes, linens, candles, kitchen items, baby clothes, toys – to give away to someone who needs them. Do you know someone who does? Please let me know! I want to skip goodwill and get them right to the person that actually needs them.

I am also looking for seven friends to join me in this journey. I am doing possessions this month, but I am looking to re-do the whole process again starting in January, it’s a certain kind of fast, giving up what is comfortable here in order to gain access into what God wants me to see.

Who wants in? Read the book, tell me what you think. Let’s leverage our stuff, our time, our lives towards things that matter.