Black or White?

It's the question he asks,

Trying to figure out what to get me for my birthday.

Black or white?

Mom had asked awhile back about things that I might want for future gifts.

I'd told her that I wanted an iPod touch.

She, of course, had no idea what one was,

So it was up to Dad to go shopping.

And now he was asking about color preference.

I'd figured it was coming soon,

When I'd have to find some way to explain what I was going to do.

So I tell him what I'd heard about FreedomMaker,

Tell him I really don't want any physical gifts,

But this,

I want this so much.

He tries to understand.

See, I've been wanting an i-something for a long time.

In the past, it's been about getting stuff.

Now, it's more about usefulness.

An iPod touch would provide me with Internet access anywhere there's wifi.

It would enable me to download awesome apps (like the Bible?  Solid Joys?),

Not just cool stuff,

But stuff I could use to help me seek God and love Him more.

And, most importantly, it would hold all my music,

Organized in a much more logical fashion than my current mp3 player,

With pretty pictures of the album covers,

Ready for use to help focus my thoughts on what's important.

Of course, it will also become way too convenient to get on Facebook,

Check email,

But it would also give me the ability to text

And provide an easier way to listen to music when working on big projects,

All without the data plan fee of many, many dollars per month.

There's just been one problem with this desire:

I can't justify wasting $200 of my own money in one shot on a toy.

Especially when I'm so involved with Compassion and such a supporter of IJM,

When I'm coming to understand more and more just how much need there is in the world . . .

(Although my understanding is still woefully inadequate)

It just didn't feel right.

So, I picked what is obviously a much better solution:

(Yes, the above line was intended with a good bit of sarcasm.)

I asked my parents to get it for me.

Well, when I asked, I thought they'd give it for Christmas.

I didn't realize they were thinking so soon.

But God put this on my heart.

I have so much.

I honestly don't need anything else,

Including any fancy electronic toys beginning with the letter "i".

My needs are met.

I have food in my stomach,

A roof over my head,

An education,

My freedom.

There are a lot of people in the world who don't have those things.

The more I thought about it,

The less I wanted presents for my birthday.

Really, what's it worth?

I wanted to put my desire into action

And make a difference.

As I felt God tugging me that way,

I (nervously) followed.

I feel like I'm able to do so little to fight such a big problem -

And human trafficking is a HUGE problem -

But I can do this one little thing.

Moreover, I want to do this

With all my heart.

My Mom tells me that they've given to my campaign,

But they're going to give me some presents anyway.

I can't really control what they do,

But I don't like the feeling in my stomach.

I hope it's just the stuff she has laying in her room that I've picked out in the past,

'Cause I can't stand the thought of getting anything else

When this is what I want:

To bring freedom

And make a difference.

This is where my heart is.

I thought it might be tough to give up my birthday presents.

Honestly, I think it's one of the easiest (and best!) things I've ever done.

Reasons 5053-5111 today,

Seeing who He is

And praying that changes who I am:

5053. He has laid a heavy burden on mankind (Ecclesiastes 1:13)
5054. It is from His hand that a person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil (Ecclesiastes 2:24)
5055. Without Him, no one can eat (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)
5056. Without Him, no one can find enjoyment (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)
5057. To the person who pleases Him, He gives wisdom (Ecclesiastes 2:26)
5058. To the person who pleases Him, He gives knowledge (Ecclesiastes 2:26)
5059. To the person who pleases Him, He gives happiness (Ecclesiastes 2:26)
5060. To the sinner He gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases Him (Ecclesiastes 2:26)
5061. He has made everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
5062. He has set eternity in the human heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
5063. No one can fathom what He has done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
5064. Eating is His gift to people (Ecclesiastes 3:13)
5065. Drinking is His gift to people (Ecclesiastes 3:13)
5066. Finding satisfaction in toil is His gift to people (Ecclesiastes 3:13)
5067. Everything He does will endure forever (Ecclesiastes 3:14)
5068. Everything He does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it (Ecclesiastes 3:14)
5069. He does everything so that people will fear Him (Ecclesiastes 3:14)
5070. He will call the past to account (Ecclesiastes 3:15)
5071. He will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked (Ecclesiastes 3:17)
5072. He tests humans so that they may see that they are like the animals (Ecclesiastes 3:18)
5073. He has no pleasure in fools (Ecclesiastes 5:4)
5074. He has given people the few days of life (Ecclesiastes 5:18)
5075. He sometimes gives wealth and possessions (Ecclesiastes 5:19)
5076. He sometimes gives wealth and possessions and the ability to enjoy them (Ecclesiastes 5:19)
5077. He sometimes gives wealth and possessions and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil (Ecclesiastes 5:19)
5078. He keeps people occupied with gladness of heart (Ecclesiastes 5:20)
5079. He gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire (Ecclesiastes 6:2)
5080. He gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but He does not grant them the ability to enjoy them (Ecclesiastes 6:2)
5081. He gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but He does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead (Ecclesiastes 6:2)
5082. No one can straighten what He has made crooked (Ecclesiastes 7:13)
5083. He has made the good times (Ecclesiastes 7:14)
5084. He has made the bad times (Ecclesiastes 7:14)
5085. He created mankind upright (Ecclesiastes 7:29)
5086. He created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes (Ecclesiastes 7:29)
5087. Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, it will go better with those who fear Him (Ecclesiastes 8:12)
5088. Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, it will go better with those who are reverent before Him (Ecclesiastes 8:12)
5089. Because the wicked do not fear Him, it will not go well with them (Ecclesiastes 8:13)
5090. Because the wicked do not fear Him, their days will not lengthen like a shadow (Ecclesiastes 8:13)
5091. He gives people life (Ecclesiastes 8:15)
5092. His work under the sun cannot be found out by man (Ecclesiastes 8:17)
5093. The meaning of His work under the sun cannot be found out by man, despite all their efforts to search it out (Ecclesiastes 8:17)
5094. Even if the wise claim to know, the meaning of His work under the sun cannot really be comprehended by man (Ecclesiastes 8:17)
5095. The righteous are in His hands (Ecclesiastes 9:1)
5096. The wise are in His hands (Ecclesiastes 9:1)
5097. What the righteous do is in His hands (Ecclesiastes 9:1)
5098. What the wise do is in His hands (Ecclesiastes 9:1)
5099. He has already approved what people do (Ecclesiastes 9:7)
5100. He has given people all the days of their meaningless lives under the sun (Ecclesiastes 9:9)
5101. He has given people all their meaningless days (Ecclesiastes 9:9)
5102. No one can understand His work (Ecclesiastes 11:5)
5103. He is the Maker of all things (Ecclesiastes 11:5)
5104. He will bring people into judgment for everything (Ecclesiastes 11:9)
5105. He gave the spirit (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
5106. The spirit returns to Him who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
5107. The duty of all mankind is to fear Him (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
5108. The duty of all mankind is to keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
5109. He will bring every deed into judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:14)
5110. He will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing (Ecclesiastes 12:14)
5111. He will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

Counting 10,000 Reasons to worship Him: 

(Sylvia's already made it to - past - 10,000!  So amazing to think of who He is like this!)

<a href="http://maryschieferstein.blogspot.com/search/label/10000%20Reasons" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitidrfBKBWTHSBiWyh3WMRKjHFgYKk-RxjYB9-uePQb1-uI3t3bjysPnR65zloJJ0LgTqhT5kW70Rk8VOC2utXFUWhGRPIxNCqzZ_9YQryYPMJdj2XpiX0oawLUiMnmxFOeMkmjk3IIA/s320/10000ReasonsButton.jpg" /></a>

Counting in community: 


Linking up at A Holy Experience today, counting gifts.

Thankful for:
~ Too long staring at screens
~ Laughter with my best friend
~ Sharing concerns with my roommate
~ How God's been causing me to look at what He's done in the past year
~ Jamming to new Christa Wells CDs while doing homework
~ Warm tea to soothe a sore throat
~ Late nights - so many late nights