Why the Grass Isn't Always Greener on the Other Side

Do you ever feel like you would have the entire world if you just had that one thing? It's always something super enticing, like a new job, a new outfit or maybe the latest Apple product. Whatever it is, you just have that feeling inside that if you can get that one thing, you won't want anything else. You'll be satisfied. 

I hate that feeling because that feeling is a lie, and not only is a lie, but it's a lie we tell ourselves. It's like our own mind is trying to trick is. It's a feeling that's rooted deep down in the gut, and it's hard to ignore because really, it's a lie we all want to believe. We all want to be satisfied. We all want that one, last thing that will truly make us happy.

This 'grass is always greener on the other side' feelings hits home about every year around this time for me because it's Christmas. It's the time of year where I think to myself, "If I only get that one gift..." Or "This New Year is going to be the last time I want..." It's such a tricky time and such a tricky feeling. It's such an easy lie to believe that after we get all we want, we'll be truly happy.  

But what do you get someone who already has everything, or better yet, what do you do if someone offers you everything? If someone offers you the world at only a small cost?  

I'd probably take everything, wouldn't you? I mean, if someone had everything, why would anyone ever want anything again? Problem solved.  

Except it's not. This one time, 2,000 years ago, Jesus was offered everything. He was offered everything in the world, every Kingdom, all authority and all glory, but He turned it down. Isn't that crazy? Literally everything in the world He could have had, but He said no. He didn't want greener grass. 

Thinking about this, I realized how often when I'm tempted with wanting anything at all, it always seems like if I had that one thing I would literally have everything in the world. The power of want is that strong. The power of desire is that real. It can take over and create a sense of authority and glory that aren't really there. It's a lie, just like the one about your neighbor having greener grass.  

Jesus was offered the entire world if He would only bow down to Satan, much like we feel we would receive the entire world if we would only bow down to our desires; however, what are our desires and will they really give us the world, or will they really just give us a thirst for more of the world? Think about it.

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: The grass may be greener on the other side, but what kind of crap are they using to fertilize it with? 

Two Suitcases, Two Years

For the past 420 days, I've lived out of nothing more than two suitcases. Talk about minimalistic. 

The past two circumstances I've been in, living in Seattle and living in Australia, required me to live without taking much with me. Having just got back, I realized just how much I'd left behind, and honestly, it made me want to light all my stuff and my entire room on fire. 

I didn't want to deal with all I had accumulated- All the stuff I don't need, while so many others are in need. I didn't want to face my little collection of stored up treasure.

At some point in life, I accumulated SO MUCH STUFF (I think it was in college when everyone tries to transition from high school style to adult style). I had clothes and shoes I didn't even remember having and so many other odds and ends, I was completely overwhelmed. How does someone who lived perfectly out of two suitcases worth of stuff for nearly two years have so much stuff, and why? 

Over my time away, I learned to live simply without even realizing it. I learned that only having a handful of shirts and pants was okay, and that a pair of white Chuck Taylor's and a pair of boots were enough to get by. Now, I have all this stuff and I don't know what to do with it- everything from shoes to jackets (Although, most of them are orange and black). 

I'm not sure how or why I accumulated so much stuff, but I know this- I don't really need it and there are lots of people out there who do. If you're reading this and are in need of some clothing, or know of someone who is, please message or email me to let me know. As long as I have my two suitcases, I'll be okay.  

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Live simply. 

Identifying the Real Need

This afternoon, my dad, my uncle, my cousin and I were repairing some barbed wire fence on our land. It's a pretty routine procedure that gets easier the more helping hands you have. One person can keep the wire out of the way, one person can check the tenseness of the wire down the line, while the other people can work the 'come-along' that pulls the barbed wire tight. In this situation, it was two older men and two younger men working the task. At one point, my uncle, one of the older men, was kneeling on the ground to fix the bottom wire, while I was standing above him keeping the rest of the barbed wires out of the way. As he was finishing up, he reached out his hand to me. I had no idea why; I just thought he was waiting for me to hand him some pliers or some tool that I knew I didn't have, so I just sat there staring at his hand wondering what he was doing. After a minute of waiting and him still awkwardly holding his hand out, I asked what he needed, and he simply said, "I just need a hand getting up."

Oh.

Now, I felt terrible. Here I was just staring at a man struggling to get up, and I didn't have the slightest idea. He's someone I know well and have worked with numbers of times, and he's family, yet I still didn't know he wanted/needed help even though he didn't specifically say it. I wasn't aware of the situation. I couldn't recognize the real need.

Looking back on this simple incident, it reminds me a lot of what it's like going through life. It's easy to look past a person and not realize maybe they just need a hand. Sometimes thing become so routine, it's easy to look past what a person is really needing and feeling. My uncle needed help up. I thought he needed pliers. The man on the street may need someone to talk to. I think he needs money. 

It's so easy to look past the real needs of a situation and try to fix them with something basic or material, like pliers. Sometimes, people don't always need exactly what it looks like they need. Sometimes it looks like someone could use a spare $5, when in reality, they could just use a spare five minutes of your time. Take a few moments within the next few days to slow down and just think: what is the real need in this situation. It's often not what you first think. 

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: You can't fix everything with pliers; Sometimes you just need a helping hand.