just love

again this season, i am wrestling with my wardrobe choices.  i haven't gotten this all figured out yet.  i felt like going shopping over spring break…as in at the regular shops.  i came home with a number of items that i liked, fit and were cost effective.  this would previously have been cause for rejoicing!  these qualifications alone are a challenge to meet.

voices told me that it was ok to buy a few things with questionable origins.  voices told me that i deserve to have some nice, new, store bought things.  other voices said that i could do better.  i don't want to support unfair wages or unsafe or forced working conditions.  i don't want to support the pollution of another country's water.  

i returned everything i bought for myself.  

i am back at the beginning.

buying fair-trade is not the easiest goal.  it is a new challenge, in that most of the clothing in our stores was just automatically made in america 20 years ago.  that is not the case today.  but it is a privilege to have the option of buying anything at all.  it is a privilege to have choice.

i have the freedom to buy clothing made under unfair circumstances.  i don't necessarily think that it is wrong to buy regular clothing at the shops.  but if it is pure indulgence of my selfish desires, and if that indulgence comes at the cost of another's right to provide food and shelter for their family…at the cost of another's life…at the cost of clean water...

you were called to be free.  but do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather serve one another in love.  the entire law is summed up in one command, "love you neighbor as yourself."  galations 5:13

i'm choosing love.

love,
jane