Simple Coffee

Simplicity is not poverty, and it is not simple. In fact simplicity requires considerable thought as you sort through various things to determine which resources can be limited in order to actually rely on God. But another significant aspect of simplicity is the intentional celebration of life; enjoying the good (and often overlooked) things of life.

I have been reading through a reader called "Praying with Francis of Assisi" by Joseph Stoutzenberger, and there is a chapter about simplicity. Stoutzenberger writes an exercise I chose to take hold of while I sat in a Charlotte coffee shop with my buddy Justin Wallace as he prepared to speak for his group of college students that evening.

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He writes:

Pour a glass of your favorite beverage, or slice up a piece of your favorite fruit, cheese, cake, pie, or bread. Set the glass or plate in front of you. Reflect on the wonder of drink and food, their color, texture, and composition from earth to their present state.

Next, savor the smell of the beverage or food. Finally, take one sip or bite, roll the drink around your tongue or chew the food slowly. Closing your eyes may help to get the full effect.

Finish drinking the beverage or eating the food very slowly, pausing between each sip or bite.

End this action by praising God for His simple wonder.

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Done!

Possessions and Peace

"If we had possessions we should need arms for their defense. They are the source of quarrels and lawsuits, and are usually a great obstacle to the love of God." - Francis of Assisi There is a strong connection between property and peacemaking. Most every action of violence or aggression is prompted by some form of property for which there is either a debate for who deserves possession OR someone has attempted to steal possession from the rightful owner.

For this reason, we have to always protect the things that belong to us. The more possessions we have or the more a particular possession costs, the more aggressive our defense of that item has to be. Instead of a focused attention on defending the poor and widowed that God calls us to defend, we have wasted our soul's energy defending the property and possessions we have acquired.

The more things we have, the less peaceful our hearts can be. With more possessions comes more defense, more protection. With more things comes more quarrels.