This year I have had a way different kind of Christmas preparation than before. I honestly was kinda irritated until lately. The whole commercialized Christmas of America just made me sick to my stomach.

A challenge as I can think of a whole list of things that would be great for my upcoming trip, but that is so contradictory to my desire for simplicity and putting my money where it counts.

As many of you know I have taken part in the Advent Conspiracy. (www.adventconspiracy.org) In a nutshell... bringing Christ back to the focus of Christmas. Imago Dei Community chose to send money to Living Water International (www.water.cc) which provides clean water to places that otherwise wouldn't.

I have put more thought than ever before about why I celebrate what I do and the expectations I have in place for this time of year. Always a good thing to look at why you believe or do what you do, but I really had a hard couple of weeks as I couldn't understand why America was so into themselves? Why was I so stinkin selfish? A challenge as Living Water says $1 = water for one person for one year. Wow... so that means my latte could've been water for three people for a year! But then I began to realize it was so unhealthy for me to be dissecting my life into the amount of water.

After much wrestling and tossing about what I believed and my desire to show I love my friends and family versus a lasting effect on a community where they have nothing, I can to the conclusion... Balance - I know a very complicated thought. Just thought I would share that with you.