Weekly Greeting - May 23, 2025
Greetings friends,
We have now moved from the parsonage to our home in Nashville. It was a lot of work. It still is, as you well know if you have ever moved. We have made many trips back and forth to Goodwill and Habitat Restore and other places, donating things we don’t need. However, we still have a lot of possessions.
In Luke 12:15, Jesus tells his disciples to guard against greed, adding
“…one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”
I believe Jesus can be trusted to teach us how to get the most out of life. But consider the following statistics:
Currently, in America:
1. We use 20% of our clothes. The rest just stay in our closet. (Even after we have donated garbage bags full to the thrift stores).
2. The average home has 300,000 items, most of which are never used. (This includes books, keepsakes, dishes, clothing, etc.).
3. American spend 1.2 trillion annually on non-essential goods, that is things we do not really need.
4. Toys have increased by 500% in the last 50 years — but kids only play with a handful.
5. Only 5.9% of plastic waste here is recycled — the rest ends up in landfills or oceans.
6. There are enough storage units in the US for every person — yet their numbers continue to grow.
7. We throw away 81 pounds of clothing per year per person.
8. Electronic waste is growing faster than any other kind of waste.
9. 9.25% of people with two car garages cannot park in them — because they are too filled with clutter.
10. Research shows that decluttering reduces stress.
The words Jesus spoke as recorded in the gospel Luke were written down two centuries ago yet they are just as relevant as ever. Our lives do not consist in the abundance of our possessions. We really can trust Jesus to lead us to the truth and to true abundant life.
Maybe I need to make a couple more trips to donate items that I don’t need and are not adding to the quality of my life….
Blessings,
Craig
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This Sunday is the sixth week of the Easter Season as we continue to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and all that God has done for us all. We are also moving towards Pentecost Sunday and celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit. Our text this week is John 14: 25-29 which describes Jesus’ conversation with the disciples in the Upper Room just before his crucifixion. The disciples were facing the reality of Jesus leaving them. We all deal with pain and loss. As we worship together this Sunday may we draw strength from the example of Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit with us. God is good all the time and is always faithful.