I don't like oil.

After hearing and reading about the 48 hour closure of the North Sea oil pipeline due to the 1,200 person union strike at the Grangemouth, Scotland refinery, I began to think about dependency. Motorists and consumers were urged by the government "not to hoard fuel, saying there would be enough to go around." In attempt to offset the 700,000 barrels of oil per day supplied by the pipeline and to ensure that there is "enough to go around" the Scottish government is importing 72,000 tons of fuel from Europe. Some fuel stations in Edinburgh are limiting purchases while others have already reported they have run out of gas.

What happens when there is "not enough to go around?"

People cannot travel (unless they walk or bike).
People cannot get to work (unless they work in their own community).
People cannot earn notes of exchage (see above).
People cannot buy food (unless they know local farmers and/or trade other possessions).
People cannot eat (unless they grow their own food or know local farmers).

We are obviously an oil dependent people. What all are we dependent upon that may need remedied where we would be deeply troubled if there was "not enough to go around?

Serving and Controlling.

"One who would be a leader, I am cautioned, has a greater weight of responsibility to honor the despised, share his earthly possessions, model interdependency, and encourage the use of gifts concealed in the unlikeliest among us. To the leader, then, the gift of humility is offered - the gift is the salvation of the proud, which comes from great difficulty from learning to receive from those who are least on Earth, yet greatest n the Kingdom.
:: Robert Lupton: "Compassion, Justice, and the Christian Life: Rethinking Ministry to the Poor."

The Evil of Easton.

People must eat. People like to eat good tasting food. People will pay a lot of money for good tasting food that they don't have to grow themselves or even cook themselves.
Exploitive minds have craftily constructed an empire of consumerism known as The Easton Town Center. Those who intend to arrive at said Town Center for the purpose of eating good tasting food at restaurants like P.F. Chang's, The Cheesecake Factory, Brio Tuscan Grille, Mitchell's Ocean Club, BDs Mongolian Barbeque, The Melting Pot, Bon Vie Italian Bistro and Wine Bar end up circling through numerous retail stores and shops. The designers were genius knowing that people's simple presence around stores would produce purchases that are not needed or ever intended. May we begin to consider the enchantment of experience, the power of presence, and the resultant consumption.

Giving Manifesto.

A conversation with my wife, Sarah, and sister, Shannon, about the celebration of Christmas and our intentionality to cease our consumerism produced a dialogue between my four-year-old nephew and me:
Travis: Bryson, are you going to give anything to anybody this year for Christmas?
Bryson: No, Santa Claus is.
Travis: Santa Clause is? You're not going to give any gift?
Bryson: No, Santa Claus is.
Travis: Haven't other people given you gifts for Christmas?
Bryson: No, Santa Claus does that.
Travis: You mean your grammy has never gotton you a gift?
Bryson: No, just Santa.
Shannon: Bryson, grammy and papaw have given you gifts for Christmas.
Bryon: Yeah.
Travis: So, don't you think it would be good for you to give to someone?
Bryson: No, Santa Claus is.

What has our culture taught our children?

Consuming Me.

I am reading Matthew Sleeth's Serve God, Save the Planet. After quickly reading through chapter (1) I found myself broken, guilty, and in need of repentance. The book is not intended to be "guilt-trip" inducing (at least I didn't read it that way). The author confessed his previous sin of consumption and is passionate about his cause and calling and has demonstrated his commitment to a different way of living. It is, indeed, challenging (for lack of a more powerful word).
While the book is likely to continue specifically with creation care and love as the central theme, it provoked me to dig even deeper into myself to ask, "What really controls me?" I am broken right now - disgusted at myself. I have allowed materialism, status, and acceptance to reign in me and my attempts to be otherwise have been futile at best. I would try to explain my existing methods and praxis for being a steward of creation and wealth but I would merely be attempting to justify my lack of true commitment to giving and ultimately to worship of YHWH. May grace cover me and change me and my family and community.

Merely Conceptualized

There exist two concepts about which I though I possessed understanding until I had a child: Service and Dependency.