Look Beyond

Financial Wellness in Troubled Times

Unlike many of the bloggers that you'll find in the "self-improvement" genre, I am one who believes that financial wellness has more to do with the state of your heart than the state of your bank account.  I think that the person who is making $25,000 a year can enjoy just as much financial wellness as the person making $250,000 a year.  In fact, I would suggest that it could be easier for the first person to be financially well than the second person.

What is required for financial wellness?  I would begin with the provision of basic human needs.  We all need to eat.  We all need to be clothed.  And we all need to have safe shelter.   From there I would say that the next significant contributor to financial wellness is freedom from debt.  As long as you owe anything to anyone, you are never truly free.  Next would be the practice of saving for tomorrow.  The source of your income today may not be available to you tomorrow.  And finally, freedom from the bondage of consumerism and contentment with what you have are the two guardrails that keep you safely on the road of financial wellness.  Financial wellness really is a condition of the heart.  A heart that craves "things" will sabotage your ability to enjoy life regardless of your income level.

Here is a simple structure for you to follow in budgeting for wellness:

• Live off of no more than 80% of your income.
• Set aside at least 10% of your income into a savings plan.
• Give away at least 10% of your income to those who are in greater need than you.

This simple budgeting principle lived out through a heart that is free from the craving of things and a lifestyle that is not held captive by debt will provide a strong foundation of financial wellness.

But what about our desires to earn more and to create wealth?  Am I saying that these desires are wrong?  Not at all.  Remember what I said, financial wellness is more about the condition of your heart than the condition of your bank account.  If you are able to live debt-free, be content, and follow the budgeting principle above at $250,000 a year, go for it!  Just be aware of the temptations that you will face.  We live in the midst of a system of greed and debt-supported consumption, and the more you earn the more temptation you will face to spend your wealth on the accumulation of things and the financing of debt and less on savings and giving to those in need.

The Journey Begins

I shared with you in a previous post that I was going to launch into my dream of writing a book and invite you into the process with a special section here called, "Book Progress."  Be watching for that navigation button to appear in the coming days.

While Lynn and I were enjoying a long weekend together in Orlando last month, an outline for a non-fiction book came together in my mind in a remarkably clear way.  This was the book that I was going to invite you into through the blog.  However, late last week I experienced something new, and kind of amazing.  A fiction story dropped into my mind and the outline, chapters, storyline, characters, and dialog have been flooding into me so quickly that I can hardly keep up.  I sense a real urgency to get this written.  The urgency is so strong that I've decided to take the summer off from school and the summer off from leading a small group so that I can devote as much of my time as possible to writing this novel.

So, watch for the "Book Progress" button and follow along with me as this story gets from my mind onto paper.  I'll present you with the chapter titles and the progress status of each chapter.  As I work on each chapter I'll share excerpts from that chapter with you.

I'm looking forward to sharing this journey with you.

National Volunteer Week: April 27 - May 3

Through countless acts of kindness, volunteers across America are changing our Nation for the better. During National Volunteer Week, we recognize those who take the time to help their fellow citizens realize the full potential of America.        

Through volunteer work, Americans can demonstrate the kindness and generosity that makes our Nation great. Mentoring a child, teaching someone to read, visiting the elderly, feeding the hungry, and finding shelter for the homeless are all examples of how Americans can and do    aid those in need. Americans are volunteering in record numbers. Each year, millions of Americans volunteer, and more of our fellow citizens are discovering that the pursuit of happiness leads to the path of service. The cumulative effort of the love and compassion from our      Nation's volunteers will help secure a more hopeful future for all our citizens.    

My Administration remains committed to building a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility. The USA Freedom Corps strengthens civic engagement and volunteer service in America and helps people connect with volunteer opportunities. By visiting the USA Freedom Corps website at volunteer.gov, individuals can find information about ways they can help in their local areas and across the country.    

The strength of America comes from its compassionate and loving citizens. National Volunteer Week is an opportunity to show appreciation for our Nation's volunteers. The time and energy they dedicate to      helping those in need reflect the true spirit of America.    

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 27 through May 3, 2008, as National Volunteer Week. I call upon all Americans to recognize and celebrate the important work that volunteers do every day throughout our country. I also encourage citizens to explore ways to help their neighbors in need and serve a cause greater than self.    

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and  thirty-second.    

 

GEORGE W. BUSH    

Transformation Project 1 - Intentional Awareness

I mentioned in an earlier writing that I would frequently post, what I am calling, "Transformation Projects" here on Beyond What You See.  I don't think there is an honest person among us who wouldn't join us in saying, "There are some things about me that I want to change."  I also think that there is a large percentage of us (perhaps most of us) who spend a lifetime being conscious of those areas in which we are in need of transformation, but never actually experience the realization of that transformation.

The reality of personal transformation is that it requires intentionality.  None of us will ever wake up some morning and find ourselves magically transformed into what we've always hoped we could become.  Those who do experience significant transformation in their lives are the ones who take the intentional steps necessary to bring about that change.

There are many areas of transformation that I long for in my own life.  One that comes immediately to mind is the transformation into a socially aware and genuinely compassionate person.  I have become quite jaded and cynical over the last few years, but readily recognize that this is not a state of heart in which I wish to remain.  I want to live my life with eyes wide open to the pain and suffering around me, and as long as I have the resources to do so, be moved with genuine compassion to meet that need to the best of my ability.

This past week I took time to visit three different non-profit organizations here in our city.  I wrote about the first one in my post, America's Second Harvest.  Wednesday afternoon I spent a couple of hours touring and visiting with the director and board members of our local chapter of Girls, Inc., which is a national organization teaching at-risk girls about abstinence, care of their body, job skills, basic household skills, computer skills, and more.  On Thursday afternoon I spent a couple of hours visiting with the director and board president of our local chapter of the Boys & Girls Club, which is another national organization focusing on academic excellence, social wellness, and physical fitness.  Each of these three visits was a dramatic eye-opener to the social brokenness around me.  If you are looking for a way to "do good," any of these three organizations would be a worthy recipient of your generosity.

All of this brings me to our first "Transformation Project," into which I want to invite you to participate and then share your experiences with us through comments to this post.

TRANSFORMATION PROJECT 1 - INTENTIONAL AWARENESS

Participation Time Frame: 30 Days

Spend a few moments thinking about the one social issue which is of the greatest interest to you.  What do you see in your community that you would change if you had the power to do so?  What stirs your heart?  Do a little asking around and find one organization that is working to address that social issue.  Sometime within the next 30 days make an appointment to meet with the director to learn about what they do.  Spend some time talking with him or her.  Tour the operation.  Speak to some of the beneficiaries if possible.  And before leaving, ask the director what their greatest need is.

After you've completed the project, come back here and leave a comment sharing your experience with us, that we too may learn about needs and solutions in towns and cities beyond our own.

Be

Lost
On a painted sky
Where the clouds are hung
For the poet's eye
You may find him
If you may find him

There
On a distant shore
By the wings of dreams
Through an open door
You may know him
If you may know him

Be
As a page that aches for a word
Which speaks on a theme that is timeless
And the one God will make for your day

Sing
As a song in search of a voice that is silent
And the sun
God will make for your way

And we dance
To a whispered voice
Overheard by the soul,
Undertook by the heart
And you may know it
If you may know it

While the sand would become the stone
Which begat the spark
Turned to living bone
Holy, holy
Sanctus, sanctus

Be
As a page that aches for a word
Which speaks on a theme that is timeless
While the one God will make for your day

Sing
As a song in search of a voice that is silent
And the one God will make for your way

America's Second Harvest

Have you bought bread lately?  Because my wife does all of our grocery shopping, I have always been somewhat oblivious to the trends in food prices.   It's becoming difficult to remain in the bliss of ignorance as the unprecedented inflation in the food sector is now in the headlines almost daily.  Not only are food prices at an all-time high.  But in some places around the country stores are actually beginning to ration basic staples.  It seems unthinkable that food rationing is beginning to happen in the "Breadbasket of the World."

I make a pretty good income for a household of two, and we're feeling the pinch.  I can't imagine trying to balance a household budget when the income places that family near or below the poverty line.  But that's where organizations like America's Second Harvest come in.

I spent a couple of hours yesterday touring the Second Harvest Food bank here in Columbus, GA and learning about their organization.  I was shocked to learn that, through their food distribution program, they are attempting to meet the basic food needs of just over 1 million impoverished people in the counties that they serve.  In just the two counties where I live and work there are over 44,000 persons in poverty.  Of these, Second Harvest is able to provide supplemental food to about 3,800 families and 9,187 individuals each month.

They also operate a program called, "Kid's Cafe," which provides cooked meals to various sites around the city where children gather after school Monday through Thursday.  Each day about 470 children show up at the sites for a hot meal.  In 2007 approximately 94,000 meals were served. 

The economy isn't going to get better any time soon.  In fact, many are suggesting that the worst days of our food and fuel crisis are still ahead.  Food services such as Second Harvest, who meet the needs of so many people, are struggling as well with a decline in private contributions and the near disappearance of surplus contributions from food producers due to "on-time" manufacturing.

If you're looking for a way to "do good," please consider contributing to America's Second Harvest.

This afternoon I'll be spending a couple of hours visiting our local chapter of Girls, Inc.  I'll share my experience with you a post tomorrow.

Looking Beyond Religion

There are five facets of wellness, all of which emerge out of a spiritual core.  Emotional wellness, physical wellness, intellectual wellness, relational wellness, and financial wellness are all rooted in and grow out of spiritual wellness with the spirit being the essential being of our being.  I'll spend some time in future posts talking about each of these five facets and their inter-relatedness to one another and their dependence upon spiritual wellness.  But in this post I want to share a little bit with you about my own spiritual core and how I am just now learning to look beyond religion.

I have never not believed in God.  As far back as I can remember I have always had this sense, this knowing, that there is a higher reality from which I and everything around me came.  I was never able to buy into the idea that the magnificence of creation and the miracle of life came about through mere happenstance and mutation over incalculable expanses of time.  That seems quite far-fetched to me.

From childhood I have always been taught to look for and experience God within the context and confines of church (particularly, a protestant, Christian one) and that to look for Him in any other place would be a misguided pursuit leading me directly to hell.  It didn't take long, however, for me to begin wondering how interaction with the creator, sustainer, redeemer, and king of the universe could be summed up with three songs sang poorly to the squawking of an organ under fingertips which should have stopped playing decades ago, before a 30 minute speech, followed by a mad dash to the restaurant for Sunday lunch served by people who dreaded the weekly Christian rush hour because of the exceedingly rude patronage. This was my experience growing up as an indentured child forced to serve a one-hour sentence at the local Baptist church down the road. Even as a child, I knew that if God was as great and majestic as the Bible portrayed him to be, then the sad little weekly routine I endured had to be a pitiful caricature of what it must really be like to know and worship Him.

After a five year departure from church, during which my life went to hell, I began the pursuit once again in a hyper-charismatic "assembly."  There was something there that stirred my soul, awakened in me a desire to know God on a deeper level, and launched me onto a lifelong spiritual journey.  However, it wasn't long before I peeked behind the curtain to discover that much of the smoke and fire was the theatrical product of either deceived or deceitful people pulling levers and turning cranks.  Though there were undeniable moments of God's presence, much of what I experienced around me amounted to little more than the spiritual parlor tricks of religious circus clowns.

Through much of my twenties, my wife and I moved in and out of various non-denominational churches, finding brief moments of life, but mostly something that we came to recognize as religious dysfunction.  The dysfunction manifested itself in quests for control, land-grabs, domination, and facades of piety masking lifestyles that differed very little from the lifestyles of those whom they decried as "lost" and needing to be "saved."

And still, I have never not believed in God.

An awakening to the reality of suffering around me and the church's intentional distancing of itself from that suffering set me onto a path of wanting to be a different kind of "Christian" - one who really tried to take notice and love those around me the way Jesus did.  I became an ordained minister and eventually began a new church with an intentional focus on seeking out, loving, caring for, and doing life with those whom most churches have neither the patience nor the inclination to be in proximity to.  Even in my desire to create what I imagined to be the ideal expression of the Way of Jesus I found myself quickly surrounded by religious people (not all were, but there were many) given to quests for control, land-grabs, domination, and facades of piety masking lifestyles that differed very little from the lifestyles of those whom they decried as "lost" and needing to be "saved."  In the belly of the denominational beast I found myself gasping for life in a barren womb of religion.

Still, I have never not believed in God.

After a slow-motion epiphany over the past three years I have come to recognize religion for what it truly is and I have come to fully understand the disgust Jesus had for it during his time on earth.  Every religion (including the "Christian" religion) is made up of two groups of people, a deity with whom we must find favor, and a set of rules designed to garner that favor. 

The groups of people are the elite and the masses.  The masses are charged with the responsibility of greasing the gears of the system and keeping the elite employed and in power.  The elite are charged with helping the masses to follow the rules and feel good about themselves when, on the rare occassion, they are able to follow said rules.

The deity, be it Yahweh, Jesus, Allah, Krishna, Zeus, etc., is pissed off at humanity and demands, through threat of hell, that we behave properly according to the rules imposed upon us by the elite.

The rules are a complex system comprised of those behaviors which are permissable and those behaviors which are forbidden.  And the overarching, often unspoken rule, is to never question or challenge anything.  The penalty for doing so is excommunication that may come in the form of actual physical removal from the assembly, or a more subtle (and most common) form of excommunication exercised through the intentional relational distancing of the "dissident" from the realm of the elite.

Still, I have never not believed in God.

All that I have shared thus far has served to form my spiritual core, and it is simply this.  I believe in a God who is the creator of all that is.  He is love, light, goodness, grace, and mercy.  I also believe that humanity rebelled against the perfect order in which we were meant to exist with that order being one of love, light, goodness, grace, and mercy.  The God I believe in is intimately involved in his creation and has, since the great rebellion, revealed himself through words - both written and spoken - and ultimately through The Word, Jesus Christ, who was God in human form.  As a human, he again demonstrated the nature of the order in which we were meant to live.  He allowed himself to be sacrificed to atone for the great rebellion and close the relational chasm between God and his creation.  He proved his deity through a physical resurrection from the dead.  And as a result, every human being is now invited to live freely and fully in the order in which we were meant to exist - an order of love, light, goodness, grace, and mercy.

The God of my spiritual core is not the God who is so often portrayed through the "Christian" religion.  He is not a God who is accessible only through the priests, pastors, and practices of the church system.  He is a God who is the life in all that has life.  He is the God who is the goodness in all that is good.  He is the Being of all being.  Where there is truth, there is my God.  Where there is love, there is my God.  Where there is kindness, there is my God.  Where there is grace, mercy, and forgiveness, there is my God.  He is the Beauty of all that is beautiful.

It is out of this spiritual core that I live, and move, and love, and write, and create, and have my being as one who is being perfected by God through the work of Jesus Christ, not adherence to a religious system.         

Acts of Kindness Get Passed Around

By EVE OAKLEY
Georgetown News-Graphic
4/18/08
Published:  Friday, April 18, 2008 11:21 AM EDT

A few months ago, as I was driving home on a cold windy day, I suddenly realized that one of my tires was flat.

I had just gone through the traffic light on the corner of North Broadway and Indian Hills and quickly pulled over to the curb and stopped. I noticed that the car behind pulled over and stopped as well.

Before I could get out, the nice young man was out of his car and told me to not to get out because it was too cold and he was going to change my tire. I told him it was too cold for him as well, and I was going to phone my insurance company and have them send someone to change it. He insisted that it would not take long and he could have it done in a matter of minutes, which he did.

A nice city worker, whose name I did not get, also pulled over and was trying to direct traffic, which we thought would help. Were we ever wrong.

Now, I had two concerns; the cold weather and the heavy-speeding, after-work traffic. As usual, everyone was in a hurry and refused to slow down. I was praying that everything would be all right because I was concerned that one or both would get hit.

One of the two good Samaritans, who stopped to help, was Michael Ramsey, who changed my tire, and like I previously stated, I did not get the name of the city worker. When I offered to pay Michael for helping me, he would not accept it and stated that he was glad he was able to help. Even though it was a trivial deed to him, it was a major one to me. And, I will always remember that day and the kindness and help they extended to me.

At various times in our lives, I think we have all experienced being both givers and receivers, but I think the majority of us would rather be the givers than receivers because what we receive in return is far greater and more rewarding. We can feel the love and caring in our hearts.

A few months ago I had the privilege to being a giver and helping a family in need.

Through the efforts and generosity of many others, we were all able to provide this family with an abundance of food, clothing, and other things they could not afford to buy. We were also able to place them in an apartment because they had no place to live. The hearts of everyone I talked with were filled with love and compassion.

We were able to give them gifts and food for Christmas as well. Again, each person I talked to was willing to help. Jerry Richardson, whose heart is filled with great love and compassion for others, was the other major person who contributed greatly to their needs and got in touch with many others who helped with the needs of this family. Even though they were thankful and appreciative for everything we did, I know that we, as givers, received much more in return. And, as we know, doing for others can keep multiplying when we continue to pass our good deeds on.

As I have stated many times in my previous in my columns, the love, compassion, and kindness we have in our hearts for others can multiply. When we help and give to others, our good works will multiply and what we give, continues to grow.

I recently read a story that I thought was truly outstanding. It was about two young boys and how the one was giving to others.

They had been close friends for many years and one day as they were walking together, one of the boys began throwing coins over his shoulder. When his friend saw what he was doing, he asked him why he was throwing his money away. His friend explained that he was doing a psychology experiment, nicknamed, “The Good Samaritan Study.”

The researchers who were doing the study also randomly put change in various pay phones. It was a very interesting thing to do, and the results were gratifying. They observed that the people who found the money in the coin return were four times more likely to stop and help people in need then the people who found no money.

They concluded that when we feel good, we tend to do good, which also means that the helping impulse is transferable.

In other words, if you do something good for another person, he or she is much more likely to do something nice for someone else, causing one small gesture to result in a giant ripple effect.

Eve Oakley is a long-time contributor of columns to the News-Graphic.

Tear Down This Wall

Two Weeks Old - Next Steps

Beyond What You See is two weeks old today.  I've been blogging for about three years now and so far, this blog seems to be gaining traction with visitors, subscribers, and commentors better than any of my previous projects.  Thanks to all of you who have taken an interest in this new work.

I want to tell you about some enhancements that will be coming soon, perhaps this weekend if I can get all of my homework and yard work done.

Topics!  So far none of my posts have been categorized.  One of the first enhancements I'll be making is categorizing all existing posts into two main topics:  "Being Well" and "Doing Good."  "Being Well" will contain posts that deal with all of the different facets of human wellness.  "Doing Good" will contain posts focused on what I believe to be the sole meaning of life, serving humanity.  There will be two other topics, though these will receive fewer posts.  One will be "Spirituality," because I believe that our capacity to do well emerges out of wellness with all of the different facets of human wellness emerging out of a core of spiritual wellness.  The fourth topic will be "Personal Updates."  I know that I enjoy getting to know the people behind the blogs that I read, so I will share some of my life with you through posts in this category.  You can look for all of these topic buttons to appear in the left sidebar immediately under the "Connections" buttons.

Navigation Buttons!  I will be adding buttons for two new items under the "Navigation" heading in the left sidebar.  One will be called, "Transformation Projects."  Transformation Projects will be fun exercises for us to all experiment with together as a way of killing bad habits, forming new good habits, enjoying new life experiences and improving our relational capacity.  My hope is that when a new "Transformation Project" is announced, many of you will join me in it and share your experiences with the project through comments.  The second button will be to a page called, "Book Progress."  Yes, I'm going to finally begin working on my first book.  And I want you to hold me accountable.  On that page I'll report to you my progress from developing the outline, writing the introduction, writing the chapters, etc.  Each time I finish a chapter I'll post an excerpt from that chapter.

Entrecard Contest!  This will be for those of you who participate in the Entrecard program.  I've just launched a weekly contest that will award 100 ec's each Saturday to the blog that generates the most referral traffic to Beyond What You See.  If you are an Entrecard user and are interested, you can check out the details here.

That's it for now.  Thanks again to all of you who have taken the time to stop by, read posts, subscribe, and leave behind comments.  Have a great weekend.  Be well and do good!