JFP Tour | Recap (Day 5)

AMERICAN OR CHRISTIAN CONFLICT…OR BOTH

Is this a conflict of Church & State? And does your church have both of these flags displayed in the front of the church?

Throw in a life size cross and you’ll really be making a political statement for the empire.

PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO…

Is it possible to pledge allegiance to both Jesus and the flag?  Do you think Jesus would wear a red, white, and blue robe if he was here today?

JFP Tour | Recap (Day 4)

AMISH HOMELAND SECURITY

I’d like to thank Shane and Chris for retelling the story we heard almost two years ago, about a gunman who walks into an Amish school in Pennsylvania to shoot and kill six children before turning the gun on himself.  Shane and Chris reminded us of the beautiful picture painted, before all of America and the rest of the world, of the Grace that  was extended to the family of the gunman.  The Amish families involved, not only forgave the gunman’s family, they invited his family to attend the funeral of the girls who had been killed, they requested all relief money raised be shared with the gunman’s family and then they attended his funeral.

What would happen in this world if our country decided to repond in this kind of way, when acts of terror are constructed against us?

JFP Tour | Recap (Day 3)

ART OR VANDALISM

The following is from page 170 in Shane & Chris’ book, Jesus for President.

Who needs a Creator when we can sculpt mountains?  Who needs a Great Physician when we can heal ourselves?  Who needs Providence for food when we can clone animals for food?  Who needs a Savior when we have a four hundred billion dollar defense shield?  Who needs a Deliverer when the empire has become a democracy?  Who needs a God when we are worthy of worship ourselves?

The Jesus for President tour event included a multimedia presentation while Shane and Chris told the story written in their book and the Psalters performed.  At one point they showed this picture with the word “Vandalism” printed at the bottom.  I’ve thought about this nearly every day since the event and talked with several friends about it.  It has certainly provoked me to think and wonder if we are making a mockery of Gods earth and being irresponsible, because “we can.”

How do you feel when you see this picture with the word Vandalism at the bottom?  Do you think it’s just art, created by some master sculptor, or does it seem like vandalism of God’s creation?

JFP Tour | Recap (Day 2)

CARBON FOOTPRINT OR JUST A GREASE SPOT

My friend Jay and I had heard that Shane and crew were traveling across the country in an old school bus painted black with gold writing on it that says “Jesus for President” and complete with a big gold crown painted right on the front of the bus.  Shane refers to it as the “veggie bus” since it runs on used vegetable oil.  Apparently pulling up behind a Chinese Food restaurant at the end of the show is the norm.

I was reminded by this that life can be more simple than I make it and my carbon footprint is so huge.  There are so many little things that I can be doing to make the earth a better and cleaner place to live.

• Like consistently recycling my plastic, glass, and paper.
• Replacing old light bulbs with the new low watt bulbs that burn less energy.
• Bringing water to work with me in a reusable container, so I don’t use so many plastic water bottles.
• Carry my own cloth grocery bags to the store with me so I don’t use so many disposable plastic bags.
• Shop for clothes at resale stores, thrift stores, and garage sales instead of always buying new.
• Eating dinner on glass (washable) plates instead of paper or disposable plates.
• Using cloth napkins that can be washed instead of using paper napkins.
• Bringing my lunch to work in a container that can be reused instead of putting a sandwich and chips in disposable plastic bags.

And the list could go on and on…

I may not be able to do much, but doing nothing at all leaves me feeling responsible for some of the mess we tend to find junking up God’s creation.  It’s amazing how much we consume and how much we throw away as trash.

Today I’m thanking Shane and our friends at The Simple Way for setting the ultimate example that life doesn’t have to always be about consumption.  Life can be more simple, we can save, and we don’t have to continue to live the way we do.  There is hope for change and it starts with each of us.

Do you have some examples of ways you’ve began to erase your carbon footprint?