Wasted, Or Not

Pause. Look over your shoulder at all of life. How much of your existence have you considered to be counted as wasted? Experiences. Relationships. Financial boondoggles. Even that purchase that was an extreme waste of time.

Early morning and I’m thinking again. Here I stand with debris in my hand. Decision time. Recycle? Or Trash?

I realize how much waste there is in the world.

Even my breakfast preparation. Less waste could be attributed if I would simply do more work to prepare. Instead, the convenience of near-ready foods makes it a faster morning.

Go ahead. Open your cupboard. Look at all the products that you will simply toss because it ages out. Or, even discard because you don’t need it. Once you use it? Their’s packaging to toss.

Yet, everything that makes it into our consumption world contains a lot of waste. Every kernel of corn? Yes. Silk, husk, cob, stalk…unless you find use for these pieces, then they are tossed, tilled or burned.

The chemical processes. Where do the chemicals come from? Imagine the waste revolving around that process. We use many chemicals. They make your clothes wearable, tires pliable, and wood perserved and strong for a generation of house living.

Don’t get me started on the manufacturing process! Slag heaps everywhere!

What a waste of life we all experience, and most of the time we don’t even realize it.

My, How We Create Waste

This week I made a trip to the local dumping station. My pickup had 600 pounds of toss-able debris. Why? A major malfunction in a new pressure tank installation in my garage. For several hours, spraying water ruined a number of things. Non-salvageable, you can only toss them.

Waste.

The things we buy that are shrink-wrapped, blister-packed, and protected from hands and environment. Until they make it into our hands and environment. So much waste!

As a kid, we used to visit ancient dump locations with my grandmother. These were mainly washed out areas where debris was often tossed to keep the weather from taking too much land. It gave weeds and trees time to grow to anchor their roots to the soil. They were a treasure trove of stuff, weathered wood, and old bottles she could resale in her little shop.

The science of modern dumps? They produce methane as the waste deteriorates. That’s why you see pipes coming out of the ground and funneling to some collection point. Dumps are full of nasty compounds. Even old medicines that are really poisons to help the body heal. Water table anyone? NIMBY!

Here’s My Thought This Morning

I want to control the wasting of experiences, relationships and stuff.

A few years ago we decided to have chickens. No more buying eggs! People donated egg cartons to us, and then bought eggs for $3 a dozen. Some of the best tasting eggs around, as it was told to us. Then. The coyotes and owls found the chickens. Feathers everywhere. Now the pen is empty. Did you know eggs now come from the store?

It may have been an experiment with certain failure in our future, but we learned some valuable lessons. Caring for farm animals can be fun and rewarding. They may require hard work, and someday their sudden loss will break your heart.

I was known as the “chicken whisperer”… Just call them, walk away and they followed me!

Jesus

A woman came to Jesus in Bethany. He was with his disciples, and she had an alabaster box of valuable ointment. She poured it on his head as he sat at the table. Aghast! Waste! How could she do it? Sell it! Give to the poor!

“Since Jesus knew what was going on, he said to them,
“Why are you bothering this woman?
She has done a beautiful thing for me.
You will always have the poor with you,
but you will not always have me with you.
She poured this perfume on my body before it is placed in a tomb.
I can guarantee this truth:
Wherever this Good News is spoken in the world,
what she has done will also be told in memory of her.””  
Matthew 26:10-13 (GW)

Soon, there is someone in my life that I will pay a lot of attention to. Some say it is a waste of time. No good can possibly come from it. Yet. It’s my time to spend how I want.

Just as I spoke to the chickens and they followed… I realize I have influence in this world to spend on people who need me. Do not look at me as a celebrity, leader of thousands, or a great orator. But I pray this thought often.

Jesus, put someone in my path who is close to eternity.
Let me make a difference.

This changed my life some years back. I no longer look at my time spent on people as a waste. Is there payback? I don’t care.

Peter and John

From that meeting in Bethany, two of the disciples are walking to the temple for daily worship. Peter and John. As they approach the gate called Beautiful, a voice cry’s out… Alms! Alms?

How many times had they walked the same path with Jesus? This man who cried out had been there even then, perhaps. I like to think this was the day after Pentecost where the church was formed in Acts 2. It makes me wonder what ran through their mind. Why did Jesus not heal this man before? How is it he now comes to our attention?

“Peter and John stared at him. “Look at us!” Peter said.
So the man watched them closely.
He expected to receive something from them.
However, Peter said to him,
“I don’t have any money, but I’ll give you what I do have. Through the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, walk!”
Peter took hold of the man’s right hand and began to help him up.
Immediately, the man’s feet and ankles became strong.
Springing to his feet, he stood up and started to walk.
He went with Peter and John into the temple courtyard.
The man was walking, jumping, and praising God.
All the people saw him walking and praising God.
They knew that he was the man who used to sit and beg at the temple’s Beautiful Gate.
The people were amazed and stunned to see what had happened to him.”  
Acts 3:4-10 (GW)

Sometimes the things that are missed from before, grab our attention today. Now. This lame man had been at this entrance all his life. Some men had been bringing him every day from his home! They could do nothing, but they did not look at him as being a wasted effort! How can we?

One Man’s Trash

We’ve heard it. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Well. Perhaps it is simply better to recognize that waste has value. If not to you, then maybe to me. It all depends on our perspective and the calling we have on our life.

Lord, change my heart and mind.
Let my eyes and ears be your eyes and ears.
Help me to do as you would have done.
I’m not here to ignore the wasted life.
Rather, I realize sometimes you have passed someone by
To give me a chance to prove…
Now! I understand!