Finding Presence

Written by Jason Haines

“Do not layup for yourselves treasure on earth, where moths and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal, but layup yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” -Matthew 6:19-21 ESV

In recent years my wife and I had decided to go to church, teach our kids to be different, and lastly rid ourselves of things that we do not need. Just recently I read the book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer. Mine looks like a notebook with things underlined, notes everywhere, and just so many things that seem to resonate with me and the way I am trying to live my life. I want to present an excerpt of a few questions from the book that John asks of himself that I think are so important. Please feel free to reach out to me if you want to speak more on these but I hope you enjoy them and the get you thinking about the stuff in your life.

·????????“What if the formula “more stuff equals more happiness” is bad math?

·????????What if more stuff often just equals more stress? More hours at the office, more debt, more years working in a job I don’t feel called to, more time wasted cleaning and maintaining and fixing and playing with and organizing and reorganizing and updating all that junk I don’t even need.

·????????What if more stuff actually equals less of what matters most? Less time. Less financial freedom. Less generosity, which according to Jesus is where the real joy is. Less peace, as I hurry through the mall parking lot. Less focus on what life is actually about. Less mental real estate for creativity. Less relationships. Less margin. Less prayer. Less of what I actually ache for?

·????????What if I were to reject my culture’s messaging as a half-truth at best, if not a full-on lie, and live into another message? Another gospel?”

pp. 194-195

My wife and I haven’t fully grasped this, and sometimes the grandparents (haha), don’t always help with this minimalistic approach. But we are getting better daily because we want to be there during the things that actually matter for those around us and not consumed by things. When people ask if I am busy, no actually I am not, but it’s not because I am lazy and don’t want to do things. I am not busy because I have just put into my life what I want to be present for and things that are not of my concern (no that is not meant to mean I do not care about you, it’s mostly about buying things or going to things to keep up with the Jones’ and look special) I have eliminated from my life. I have found this approach allows for a lot of time to reflect and be where I am at all times. I love my family and I love my friends. I have seen what materialism does to a family and friends and how it can destroy the love for those around you.

I do not write these stories for anything other than to invite you to church with me and see the world from a different view. Regardless of whether we are in the same area or not, I invite you to church to maybe see things in a different light