I’ve been thinking about doing this for a matter of months now. I Finally got around to doing it! It amazes Peter and me how much we have here in America. I did this exercise to help open the eyes of others including myself to help us see how much we have by what we wear. Now I would consider myself a low maintenance person always shopping at thrift stores and looking for deals but I was surprised at the results.
Exercise: Take an every day picture of yourself. Something you would wear on a regular day ( keep it casual) If you wear make up count the cost of the make up. If you wear a watch count it, ect.
I’ve always heard of COTN (Children of the Nations) but never got to hear someones heart after going on a missions trip until Peter came back from Malawi. His passion for Malawi has only grown since then. On May 21st, 2016 he has started a Frisbee tournament to help support a friend he met there. If you were touched by this I encourage you to share this post, and do the exercise yourself.
Other ways you can help:
Hylaandpeterechols.com 
Our pastor just came back from Malawi, teaching young pastors how to preach expositionally. He travels a lot, but this really got to him, in many ways. He’s said many times that people in poor countries pray for us in the U.S., because we have so much that our attention is pulled away from the Lord.
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I agree we have way more distractions here and we take what we have for granted too often.
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Wow! This really puts things into perspective. We have a lot and we often take it all for granted.
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After 10 years in the mission field, it’s hard to walk a mall anymore. While I am so very grateful for the blessings that we have in this country, it amazes me how much we waste. How much food, finances could be used to fund things that people take for granted.
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I honestly think people should be educated about where their money could go instead of wasting it.
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This is a great exercise!!! Really good food for thought – I’m going to have to mull this over.
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I hope you like it! It was a crazy, because we honestly do have a lot.
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This is a great exercise. It really puts things in perspective. I am going to use this exercise with my Young Adult Sunday School class. I think it will help them with their worldview.
Thanks for sharing!
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Let me know how it goes!!! I would love to hear their reactions.
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How did your Young Adult Sunday School class like the exercise?
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This is great, definitely puts things into perspective!
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It’s amazing how much we take for granted, and how quickly what we spend without really thinking about it adds up, even on the “small” things. Thank you for this post.
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Great post! Love it! We take sooo much for granted!!!
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This is a great post. We are truly lucky. We should bless others in our abundance.
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yes we should : )
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I think our family falls somewhere in the middle in terms of extravagance. But we’re striving to change that. We’re spending Christmas in India this year so our children can see what others don’t have, and maybe be blessed with a different perspective.
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This is a beautiful reminder to all of us! I remember coming home from my first mission trip and being so grateful that my house had windows. About the time I starting taking them for granted I knew it was time for another trip.
Thank you for showing us all how easy we can give to others who have such basic needs that we may not often think about.
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This was very eye opening and I appreciate the suggestions in ways to help.
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What an amazing perspective and so eye opening. I am the first to admit, I take too much for granted. Thank you for this!
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Wow! It sure does add up fast doesn’t it?
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yes
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I’ve been doing an experiment to see how many times I impulse buy something. I need to try this experiment with those things. It’s made a difference just noticing how often I impulse buy and I’ve cut almost all of it out.
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wow that’s awesome!
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Wow! This is an exercise i will definitely have to try…Love it!
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You are going to be surprised! let me know how it goes.
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I love that you included things like cosmetics and vitamins. I think right now what I’m wearing is probably $80 and I’m super cheap and keep things forever, but that didn’t even include my moisturizer, mascara, make-up, vitamins, prescriptions, etc. We are definitely so ‘rich”, we’ve forgotten true wealth isn’t measured in things.
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I’m the same way and yet here we are blessed beyond measure.
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What a convicting post. I wrestle with whether it’s ever okay to “pamper” myself with nice things. We give to our church and other organizations serving the poor, etc. Sometimes I think that’s enough, and I have “earned” what’s left over, but I’m not sure that’s how Jesus would use His money.
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God has definitely blessed me beyond what I know what to do with… It’s amazing how many things I could get for the price of my everyday attire … Some things I deserve I believe, while others I could do without, and should.
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Someone once told me that there is someone out there wishing to have what you have right now. I think of that on the days that I think I need a bigger house or a new car and it reminds me to be thankful and content with what I am blessed with.
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I remember having a hard time when I returned from a mission trip reconciling all of the luxuries I had that I had taken for granted–including toilets and showers!
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It is so hard to remember how blessed we are here in the US. It’s also hard to remember that it’s actually not the stuff that blesses us at all.
Great post!
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Great exercise! And important to learn about our own daily expenses!
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I went to Uganda 10 years ago, and it was VASTLY different. I brought at least 5 skirts, 2 shorts, 7-10 shorts, etc. on the trip. Where we were, people were prosperous if they had more than 2-3 outfits. When talking to the missionaries, they also used caution when giving items to the people. They said that the people had become so dependent on foreign aid that some people refused to work and expected financial aid to be given. (They referred to the book “The Shackled Continent” when discussing this.)
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That’s good. I have never thought about it that way. Even the things we get on sale, with the money we spend, could go a long way in other countries!
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Yeah! 😊
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I have a friend in Malawi right now!
We do have so much in America and take it for granted. I appreciate how you took a picture and broke down the costs of what the item is and how that same amount of money could be used to help others.
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Wow it really makes you think about how much you are blessed and privileged with every single day, even in the “little” things. Thanks for sharing!
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sending my teens on a missions trip was an eye opener for them. thanks for sharing, caring and helping others! you are spreadingJOY
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I think it’s amazing when kids can go on mission trips its really an eye opener.
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Wow-wow-wow. What an interesting way to look at what we spend on nonsense every single day of our lives and what it would buy those that are so less fortunate than us. Thanks for sharing this. I have a feeling that this visual will stick with me for years to come. 😉
The How-to Guru
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Wow Hyla, yeah, that definitely puts in perspective how blessed we are in the US. When you think of other people just wanting clean water it makes our problems look pretty minimal.
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This definitely makes me realize how financially blessed we are in the United States. Looking at what I’m wearing, it costs >$100 (most of it goes to my shoes/sandals).
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Wow! I really need to do this!
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Its a lot of fun and very opening.
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This was so timely for me because I just stood in my room yesterday looking around and feeling like I have so much…which is a blessing..but how much of it I don’t even use. I told my husband I want to simplify so I can give more. Thanks for this!!
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wao. nice post. this will keep us in shape and also saves us money
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I agree.. we live a rather blessed life.
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What a great way to put things into perspective. We really do not realize how much we have here.
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I do feel like we take so much for granted. So many people could truly need so much and I really feel it is our duty to help when we can.
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We really are fortunate to have what we have and I make sure that my kids also realize that so they don’t take advantage of it. It’s nice to be able to help out.
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I also never really thought about how much every day costs. What an insightful post and thank you for helping put things into perspective.
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This is exactly why we adapted a minimalist liferstyle. We are taught this consumerist world, which results in more for rich countires and less for poorer countries. The greed needs to stop. We help show our family this, by donating the money we would have spent on their Christmas gifts by donating it to various charities. (Donating our gifts to charity too.)
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Thats awesome!!!!
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This is definitely something that I am going to have to try to do. It looks like it is awesome!
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It’s so great that your husband has a heart for missionary work – it’s so enriching, not only for the people helped, but for the people helping. And I like this exercise, too, just taking a minute to really realize what you have.
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This is great that you have a heart for people from different areas. I hope that you can be a big blessing to the people’s there.
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Great post! I love missionary work and this was wonderful!
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We often take things for granted without any appreciation. It’s good to have constant reminders that we are privileged and should try to make a change.
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Oh my, this exercise definitely put things into perspective… we really have a lot and we should count our blessings and share them.
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This most certainly puts things into perspective! There are a lot of things that we just buy and take for granted because we feel we owe it to ourselves to have those things, and yet, we could do so much more with the money spent. I will have to give this exercise a go. Thanks for sharing.
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