Layin' up some treasures!
I’ve been told that there are two kinds of people in this world, but I beg to differ. The thought is that there are givers and takers. But I would like to add two more categories to the mix. Consumers and creators.
To have a well balanced life you have to be a little bit of all of the above. If all you do is give, you run out of ...well, everything. If all you do is take, it’s never enough. If all you do is consume, life is empty and void of purpose. If all you do is create, you will be frustrated because you might depend solely on your audience for validation.
So, I’ve been thinking about the role of a consumer. I’ve been very unhappy for many years. Do not confuse that with joy, True joy never fades because the source is never ending! But happiness is a different animal.
I’ve given and given and felt like I was giving into an empty bucket with a hole in it, I’ve consumed and not been satisfied. I have an allotted amount of money to live on, You see I have outlived my expiration date by over 16 years. I had a fear of running out of money before I ran out of life. You must admit it is something to think about.
So, I’ve done everything within my power to “get”, but again, there’s been a hole in my bucket. I’m probably going to mess with some theology and make some people angry, but that’s okay. If you’re angry, then you’ve been challenged and I hope you’ll take it as an opportunity to think and grow and learn.
As you’ve journeyed with me through the past few months you probably noticed a running theme. I had no idea who I was, I believed I was whatever someone else told me to be, I felt like a “fill in the blanks” person. You know, if you need it done, ask Barjeana!
I learned how to do whatever was in front of me. That is not a bad thing. we should all be participators in this life. But I was lacking the thing that made me an individual. When all you do is fill in other people’s missing pieces you become a “fixer”, not a doer or a “be-er”.
I was sorely dissatisfied with my life. I was giving and giving, but I was leaving something very important out of the equation. Here’s where I’m going to mess with your mind. I was told that if I give it will be given back to me, That is absolutely the truth! However I am looking at giving in an entirely different light.
I’ve given to causes, I’ve met needs, I’ve invested in other peoples dreams, but all I was getting for it was poor. There was no fulfillment and it seemed that every need was greater than the need before.
I am a big believer in personal responsibility. But I was being responsible for other people and not for me. I was consuming what I had without investing into my future. I wasn’t adding value to my life.
When all you do is take from yourself, from your reserves you are more likely to panic, What if I can’t provide for myself? What will happen if I run out of money? Who will take care of me? Those are all “consumer” thoughts. I was unhappy, I was unfulfilled, I was anxious.
I kept praying that things would change. I wanted a full life and I didn’t feel like it was full. I’ve tried to create by writing and making hats and music, but until the market knows you are in this world, well, it’s not very satisfying. It’s a struggle to get your product and your name out into a world that is full of information.
More than that, I’ve come across people who just do not believe in what I’m doing. People that say they love me. But since I have different opinions, I don’t seem to be as valuable to them. That sucks!
So, what is the answer? It’s not as complicated as you might think. The Christian motto is “don’t lay up treasures on this earth. Give and it will be given back to you. Sacrifice everything and give to everyone.” Well, I have some new thoughts about those “basic truths.” They are half truths.
Yes, one should not focus on this world, this life and gaining wealth. Life has to be more than that. But it can’t all be about sacrifice either. When you lay your head down to sleep at night you should feel like you participated in the day.
Since I’ve been working full time my attitude has changed. I am happier. Why? Because I’m no longer just a consumer, I’m an investor. I’m investing in my future and providing for myself. This is important. God gives us all the power and authority to provide for ourselves. When a person is relying on other peoples generosity the realization that people aren’t always generous tends to leave them in a lurch. When the givers stop giving, the takers stop taking. When the consumers can’t consume anymore, they are left lacking in every other area of their lives.
Empowerment! It’s empowering to invest in your own life. It’s empowering to prepare for your future. It’s just plain smart. Do I believe in supporting the local church/? Absolutely. Do i believe that’s where giving stops? Absolutely not!
You have to give to yourself You must invest in your dreams You must prepare for your future. If not, you’ll consume and consume and you’ll come up empty. So, in this new season of life I am thrilled to be a participant in my life. I was never happy just being a consumer. I’m smart enough to know that supplies run out if there is not income. So, I now have a plan.
I’m re-evaluating what I spend my money on. I’’m reevaluating where I give and who I give it to. Am I giving it to a place or people that will make a difference? Or am I just filling a bucket with holes in it. If the person your’re trying to help doesn’t participate in that help, you are literally wasting your assets, whether it be time, talent or money.
So, my goal is to lay up treasures for myself, I want to give God every opportunity to bless me, I want my giving to make a difference, I wasnt my life to make a difference. I want what I do to matter. not just right now, but in the long run.
So, I’ve taken a job that is not in my field of choice to get my journey started. I like my job, I like the people, but this is not a stopping place for me, it is a learning period. I’m learning what I’m capable of, I’m discovering what I need to do to succeed. I’m growing in my creative abilities. My writing is getting better, my hats are getting better, my music is getting better . Should I have continued as a “consumer” only, I would have run out of everything and been itresponsinke . I have to give, but I’ve forgotten to give to myself. I’ve forgotten to invest in my future before I invest in someone else’s. Uh Oh! That sounds selfish!
Well, it isn’t. It’s a principal of life. Get no any airplane and you’ll hear the flight attendant say this , “If the need for oxygen should present itself and the masks drop . Cover your mouth first! Oh no! Isn’t that selfish? no. Because I can’t be of any service to you if I can’t breathe. If I can breathe I can help many, many people. If I try to help without being safe myself, I not only endanger me, but them as well.
So, I admonish you ...invest in your self, Invest in your future. Don’t be afraid to believe in yourself. Be a participant in your own life. Give to what matters to you. Give to places and people that make a difference. Do it on purpose! Be intentional.
Make sure whatever you do matters, not only right now, but in the long run. Don’t just consume life, create it, live it, enjoy it! you only get one...use it wisely!
To have a well balanced life you have to be a little bit of all of the above. If all you do is give, you run out of ...well, everything. If all you do is take, it’s never enough. If all you do is consume, life is empty and void of purpose. If all you do is create, you will be frustrated because you might depend solely on your audience for validation.
So, I’ve been thinking about the role of a consumer. I’ve been very unhappy for many years. Do not confuse that with joy, True joy never fades because the source is never ending! But happiness is a different animal.
I’ve given and given and felt like I was giving into an empty bucket with a hole in it, I’ve consumed and not been satisfied. I have an allotted amount of money to live on, You see I have outlived my expiration date by over 16 years. I had a fear of running out of money before I ran out of life. You must admit it is something to think about.
So, I’ve done everything within my power to “get”, but again, there’s been a hole in my bucket. I’m probably going to mess with some theology and make some people angry, but that’s okay. If you’re angry, then you’ve been challenged and I hope you’ll take it as an opportunity to think and grow and learn.
As you’ve journeyed with me through the past few months you probably noticed a running theme. I had no idea who I was, I believed I was whatever someone else told me to be, I felt like a “fill in the blanks” person. You know, if you need it done, ask Barjeana!
I learned how to do whatever was in front of me. That is not a bad thing. we should all be participators in this life. But I was lacking the thing that made me an individual. When all you do is fill in other people’s missing pieces you become a “fixer”, not a doer or a “be-er”.
I was sorely dissatisfied with my life. I was giving and giving, but I was leaving something very important out of the equation. Here’s where I’m going to mess with your mind. I was told that if I give it will be given back to me, That is absolutely the truth! However I am looking at giving in an entirely different light.
I’ve given to causes, I’ve met needs, I’ve invested in other peoples dreams, but all I was getting for it was poor. There was no fulfillment and it seemed that every need was greater than the need before.
I am a big believer in personal responsibility. But I was being responsible for other people and not for me. I was consuming what I had without investing into my future. I wasn’t adding value to my life.
When all you do is take from yourself, from your reserves you are more likely to panic, What if I can’t provide for myself? What will happen if I run out of money? Who will take care of me? Those are all “consumer” thoughts. I was unhappy, I was unfulfilled, I was anxious.
I kept praying that things would change. I wanted a full life and I didn’t feel like it was full. I’ve tried to create by writing and making hats and music, but until the market knows you are in this world, well, it’s not very satisfying. It’s a struggle to get your product and your name out into a world that is full of information.
More than that, I’ve come across people who just do not believe in what I’m doing. People that say they love me. But since I have different opinions, I don’t seem to be as valuable to them. That sucks!
So, what is the answer? It’s not as complicated as you might think. The Christian motto is “don’t lay up treasures on this earth. Give and it will be given back to you. Sacrifice everything and give to everyone.” Well, I have some new thoughts about those “basic truths.” They are half truths.
Yes, one should not focus on this world, this life and gaining wealth. Life has to be more than that. But it can’t all be about sacrifice either. When you lay your head down to sleep at night you should feel like you participated in the day.
Since I’ve been working full time my attitude has changed. I am happier. Why? Because I’m no longer just a consumer, I’m an investor. I’m investing in my future and providing for myself. This is important. God gives us all the power and authority to provide for ourselves. When a person is relying on other peoples generosity the realization that people aren’t always generous tends to leave them in a lurch. When the givers stop giving, the takers stop taking. When the consumers can’t consume anymore, they are left lacking in every other area of their lives.
Empowerment! It’s empowering to invest in your own life. It’s empowering to prepare for your future. It’s just plain smart. Do I believe in supporting the local church/? Absolutely. Do i believe that’s where giving stops? Absolutely not!
You have to give to yourself You must invest in your dreams You must prepare for your future. If not, you’ll consume and consume and you’ll come up empty. So, in this new season of life I am thrilled to be a participant in my life. I was never happy just being a consumer. I’m smart enough to know that supplies run out if there is not income. So, I now have a plan.
I’m re-evaluating what I spend my money on. I’’m reevaluating where I give and who I give it to. Am I giving it to a place or people that will make a difference? Or am I just filling a bucket with holes in it. If the person your’re trying to help doesn’t participate in that help, you are literally wasting your assets, whether it be time, talent or money.
So, my goal is to lay up treasures for myself, I want to give God every opportunity to bless me, I want my giving to make a difference, I wasnt my life to make a difference. I want what I do to matter. not just right now, but in the long run.
So, I’ve taken a job that is not in my field of choice to get my journey started. I like my job, I like the people, but this is not a stopping place for me, it is a learning period. I’m learning what I’m capable of, I’m discovering what I need to do to succeed. I’m growing in my creative abilities. My writing is getting better, my hats are getting better, my music is getting better . Should I have continued as a “consumer” only, I would have run out of everything and been itresponsinke . I have to give, but I’ve forgotten to give to myself. I’ve forgotten to invest in my future before I invest in someone else’s. Uh Oh! That sounds selfish!
Well, it isn’t. It’s a principal of life. Get no any airplane and you’ll hear the flight attendant say this , “If the need for oxygen should present itself and the masks drop . Cover your mouth first! Oh no! Isn’t that selfish? no. Because I can’t be of any service to you if I can’t breathe. If I can breathe I can help many, many people. If I try to help without being safe myself, I not only endanger me, but them as well.
So, I admonish you ...invest in your self, Invest in your future. Don’t be afraid to believe in yourself. Be a participant in your own life. Give to what matters to you. Give to places and people that make a difference. Do it on purpose! Be intentional.
Make sure whatever you do matters, not only right now, but in the long run. Don’t just consume life, create it, live it, enjoy it! you only get one...use it wisely!
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