Our Life on a Budget...: justice

Showing posts with label justice. Show all posts

Monday, November 16, 2015

The Christmas Challenge: Shop local/WAHMs

We have talked about giving as much as you spend.

We have talked about shopping stores that give back.

Another great option this Christmas???

Shop local and work at home moms!!! I am not going to lie and tell you I have never purchased something from Amazon, because I do, BUT choosing to take some of our spending to our own community makes a difference! Those local stores that you love visiting… purchase a few gifts off your Christmas lists there.

You can also support work at home moms (dads, friend, etc). Many times people are using these businesses to help ends meet or even raise money for adoption or other ministries. Buying from these places is a cool way to

1. Support a family/person

2. Get a unique gift

So check out Etsy, a local shop or your friend's business and use this as an opportunity to connect with them!

The rest of the series...

Introduction
Week 1: Give as much as you spend!

Week 2: Shop stores that give back!
Week 3: Shop Local/WAHMs!
Week 4: Make gifts!

Week 5: Serve!

Hope you will follow along!!! :)

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Guest Post: How to Give When Money is Tight!

A month or so ago a blogging friend of mine asked me to share my thoughts about giving/being generous on a budget. It was so cool, because God has been teaching Andrew and I so much about this lately. Soooooo… you should check it out: How to Give When Money is Tight

How do you make sure to give when you are on a shoe string budget?

Monday, November 3, 2014

The Christmas Challenge: Shop Stores that Give Back

Did you ever study econmics? Now, I am no economics expert, but I did take the class in high school. One of the concepts that stuck with me is

"there is no such thing as a free lunch"

Basically, this means that if you get something for free or really cheap, someone is still paying for it even if it is not you. In other words if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

There are a million examples... but I will use something I know a lot about- cloth diapers (and stick with me even if you have no interest in cloth diapers, I promise I have a point :))

People ask me all the time why I would spend $20 a diaper when there are places I could spend $5 (or less) a diaper. This is very tempting especially for someone as ~~cheap~~ frugal as me. But it comes down to this, someone is paying for that $5 dollar and it is probably someone that is working to gather the goods to produce the product overseas. They are paying for it by working in dismal conditions and/or not making a fair wage or both. I don't want my baby, myself or anyone in my family wearing (or using) something that was produced in that way if I can so prevent it.

So what do we do about this? How so we buy gifts and assurance that we are not supporting dismal work conditions, unfair wages or even slavery just so we can get a new sweater?

1) Do your research.

This can be painful. It can take a little more time and effort than running to the closest mega store. But do it. One great resource that have found is Free2Work. The give an A+ to an F rating to apparel companies, toy companies, coffee companies and more! They go to each brand and ask them 61 questions for each of the three stages of production. The question fall into four categories- policies, transparency and traceability, monitoring and training and workers rights. It might be a bit convicting… go over there and check out your favorite stores. See how they do.

Take is a step further and...

2) Shop Stores that Give Back...

Some stores take it a step further. Each of these company's goals is slightly different, but their over arching theme is to give back. Some have people working in specific countries in fair environments for fair wages. This helps build the economy of the country giving real people real skills. Others raise funds for orphans and vulnerable children. These are my favorites and I recommend adding a few to your Christmas list.

The Sound of Hope

My pick…This handwoven scarce from Thailand.

Noonday Collection

My pick… this necklace

There are lots more…

Funky Fish Designs

The Hunger Site

Come Together Trading

Preemptive Love Coalition

Aldea Coffee

International Blessings

Also… if you have another, email me or comment below, I would love to add it!

3) Give a Gift that Someone Else Receives...

For the person that says they don't want anything or does not need anything. You don't have to give a physical item at all to your friend or relative!

Samaritain's Purse

World Vision

Compassion International

Heifer International

And I know there are more… send them my way friends and I will add them!

The rest of the series...

Introduction
Week 1: Give as much as you spend!

Week 2: Shop stores that give back!
Week 3: Shop Local/WAHMs!
Week 4: Make gifts!

Week 5: Serve!

Want to see the whole series???

Follow along….

So I hope you will think about. How are you going to shop this season in a way that gives back?

Monday, October 20, 2014

The Christmas Challenge: Give as much as you spend

When God first started tugging my heart about our Christmas habits, one of the first things I was convicted about was how much we give during the Christmas season. To be honest, our family does not go crazy during Christmas with our spending. We have never spent thousands of dollars or wracked up credit card debt, but we have never really given much either.

As I have been processing all of this, God has been tugging at my heart.

Stasia, you should be giving at least as much as you are spending.

For me (and others I suspect), I get caught up in a string of excuses with this…

"I give my 10%."

"We don't have that much to give."

"I will give when we have more."

"But we are still living with my in-laws." (okay… this one probably only pertains to us)

etc etc etc

As these excuses have run through my mind, this scripture hit me

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7~ (read in context here)

It is not about giving 10% and it is not about giving comfortably. It is about giving cheerfully and sacrifically. Tweet this!

So, where does that leave us?

We have a budget for Christmas… and for every dollar we spend we are going to give away at least a dollar. To church, to missions, to charity.

So where, where does that leave you?

Won't you join our family in the joy of giving this year (and maybe, just maybe it will run into other times in our lives:))? Pray about it and join the challenge…

Give as much as you spend this year! Tweet this!

The rest of the series...

Introduction
Week 1: Give as much as you spend!

Week 2: Shop stores that give back!
Week 3: Shop Local/WAHMs!
Week 4: Make gifts!

Week 5: Serve!

Want to see the whole series???

Follow along….

Saturday, October 11, 2014

The Christmas Challenge: An Introduction

Some of you are probably pretty offended right now… you are just getting a chance to sip on your pumpkin spice latte and here I am talking about Christmas? Just not allowed, right?

While is seems early, the commercialism and rush of the Christmas season is about to be upon us, and I feel like I need to get a slight head start.

Sometime back in May, God started working in my heart on this. Stirring me. Challenging me. Causing me to ask questions about the way we give at Christmastime.

It has been exciting as I have began to explore where God is leading me in all of this, but it has also been overwhelming. We love gifts. We love Black Friday. To be honest, we love to spend money at Christmas. And no worries, I am not going to say stop our gift giving all together… there is something so special in it when done in love and sacrifice. I am just going to say we take time to reevaluate. To take a look at how we are giving.

And this is our journey too. I have a general outline for this series… but to be honest, it has yet to be written. It may even change as we go! I am learning here and excited to share with you along the way!

So here is the plan…

Week 1: Give as much as you spend!

Week 2: Shop stores that give back!
Week 3: Shop Local/WAHMs!
Week 4: Make gifts!

Week 5: Serve!

I hope you will make it back each week… her are some ways to follow along :)
Stasia: BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | BLOGLOVIN'

And I will just leave you with one more thing- this video from the Advent Conspiracy… please take a minute to watch, it is awesome!

Monday, June 2, 2014

The Sound of Hope.. GIVEAWAY :)

In my 65 in 365, one of our yearly goals was to fund an adoption. As we have thought and prayed more through this, we have realized that we want to fund adoptions and support orphans all over the world. On my 5 on Friday this past week, I introduced y'all to this awesome organization… The Sound of Hope. Rusty and Ericka started this organization, that raises funds and awareness for orphans and vulnerable children around the world. Andrew and I are just starting to explore the possibilities in supporting them!
One way is to simply donate… and you can do so on their website. But, they also offer another really cool option. They sell items that Ericka handpicks in local markets of Thailand, Burma, Swaziland and India. The proceeds from these items help them provide protection, rescue and care to orphans in these countries. Cool right? Just think, you could shop at birthdays and Christmas and be seeking justice at the same time.
Soooooo... I am so excited to share with y'all that Ericka has a special item hand picked for our giveaway today! It is a lightweight key lime scarf made in Thailand.

This awesome scarf could be yours! The second picture shows the color you would win!

This would be a great piece to wear this summer! Just follow The Sound of Hope and Our Life on a Budget in the places below to enter! :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, May 16, 2014

#styleforjustice

This year has been a journey for me personally. It started reading when I read 7 by Jen Hatmaker and leading a Bible Study on it… and BOOM, I was hit with it. The sheer abundance we are living in, when there is a world living in poverty. Andrew and I used to joke about being poor- part-time preschool teacher and an intern campus minister, but we don't joke about it anymore. We have so much.
But, my sinful desire is still for more of everything- food, clothes, possessions, technology, etc, etc… and I am still sorting through this, our family is still sorting through this. What does this mean in our family's life? If more is not better, then how much is too much? What can I do now? What do I start with? The rest of the summer, who am I kidding, the rest of our lives we will ponder these things.
International Justice Mission and Noonday Collection are two organizations that I have come across this year that are truly passionate about seeking justice. One of the goals of these organizations is getting people to use their purchasing power to reach and help the poor. Join me as I not only pray for, and spread the word about these organizations… but also start to see how I can contribute, to give sacrificially myself. Maybe you can too!
International Justice Mission and Noonday Collection are teaming up for #styleforjustice campaign! A group of women is going to Rwanda in July to reach the people there… and I could be one of them. I don't usually do contests where people have to vote for me… but I figure this is speeding awareness, and hopefully spurring people to action for a good cause… so I will go with it :).

You can vote for me {HERE}

Now through May 28th… you can vote for me once per day. Whether I go or not (and there are already 253 other people already trying for the spot) my hope is that I will start to take real action to pursue justice. That my family will start to take real action to pursue justice. And that some of you will start to take real action to pursue justice.

Friday, February 21, 2014

5...

one

Not buying Carter's children's clothes. Not until the company gets their act together. See, in 7 this week we have been talking about clothing. I have been convicted about the sheer amount of clothing all three of us have in our closets. But I have also been convicted about the means used to make our clothing. Check out Free2Work. It goes through the policies, transparency, monitoring and worker's rights of different companies. So what did Carter's receive? D- go read about it… seriously. Worker rights in particular… F… and the rest of their scores were not much better! My thought has been maybe we all just need less clothes that are ethically made. One of the girls in our study said last night that it seems like "We have lots of stuff at the price of people." It just doesn't seem worth it to me! Have y'all ever researched this before?

two

65 in 365 update… can't believe it is already almost March!

three

We have a stander… when she feels like it. I am actually convinced that she could get up and walk… if she wanted to… but she doesn't, crawling is quicker. In true BD fashion, she will do it when she wants to, and not a moment before. It is cute as can be to see here do it, because the look on her face is so unsure about what she is doing. And when she is clapping and standing… whew bless my heart… cutest thing EVER :)

four

Half marathon in Augusta this weekend with my sweet friend Jes. She just had a baby at the end of September and is pretty much a rockstar. I am not as prepared this time around, so pray I can make it! :)

five

Oh… and did I mention we went to DISNEY for a day. Don't worry… there is a full post coming, just as soon as I can get my head back above water. It will probably be entitled… "one day at Disney… with a baby… on a budget…" Surprise Surprise… For now, here are some of my favorite pics :)