Yesterday I told you about a book that spoke to me called 7 by Jen Hatmaker. Today I am going to discuss the rest of the book.
The sixth month was spending. Oh boy. This could get personal! They were not going to visit any fast food restaurants, movie theaters, or Barnes and Nobles. Jen heard a statement that resonated with her, and me as well. “Just because I can have it doesn’t mean I should.” I know people have different views on this. I often wonder if just because you can afford a mansion, does that mean you should? I think of all that access money that could be going to a good cause. We have a few people in our neighborhood who live in a five bedroom house, but they live alone. I have a hard time with this. Unless they are using that space to bless others. But where do we draw the line? I ask myself, “Should I color my hair even though it’s not really necessary? Should I purchase this expensive make-up when something much cheaper would suffice? I guess everyone needs to answer that question for themselves.
The seventh month deals with stress. I’m sure we all could have something to say about this. Jen focuses on rest and prayer. The family decides to observe the Sabbath from sundown on Saturday to sundown on Sunday. They practice something called prayer pauses which is explained in the book. They also pause to really enjoy each other as a family, like making dinner together with all fresh ingredients. Our lives seem to be so busy. Sometimes the busier we are the more worthy we feel. I once came across a quote that said “We are human beings not human doings.” I try to keep that in mind when I feel like I can’t keep up. How do you deal with stress?
At the end of the book there is a list of companies that do business with a conscience. I am trying to visit them little by little. I would highly recommend this book if you have a desire to live more intentionally and to live more simply. If you do read it, let me know what you think!
I read “7” last fall and my family got tired of me reading passages out loud to them! (our adult kids were living with us at the time) It started some really good conversations!