Third Week of Advent WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17 TINY HOUSE, BIG HEART Romans 12:13–14 For many households in North America, at least half of one salary is needed to pay the mortgage. A counterpoint to that reality is the tiny house movement, motivated by not just the high cost of housing but also a desire to use fewer resources and be free of the upkeep that a larger house requires. (See thetinylife.) Even if we don’t have tiny houses, we can show environmental concern in simple ways. Use cleaning products that are biodegradable. Install a thermostat that regulates heating and cooling efficiently. Resist the urge to fill every nook and cranny with things. In making your home more environmentally friendly, remember social hospitality too. Make your home a place where people are welcome. We are called to extend hospitality to strangers as well as to family and friends. That’s important in every season, not only during Advent. Lord of all the earth, I promise to be a better steward of your creation and to make my home a welcoming place. - - - By Kathleen Long Bostrom, a full-time writer and teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Posted on: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 12:24:00 +0000