Count your blessings, then go change the world.

Here comes Thanksgiving once again. Bring on the canned cranberries, green-bean casserole, and pumpkin-spice lattes.

Along with Thanksgivings comes the stark reminder that we need to be thankful. For family, for friends, for all of the really "important" things. Usually, though, I have a terrible habit of leaving out some simple but essential things from my list of thankfulness.

I am really bad about thanking God for the little, basic physical necessities that I have. In fact, I think that we all can be guilty of this at times.

Take clean water, for example. When was the last time that you thanked Jesus that you had clean water? Sure, this is not an ultimate thing, such as family, love, or salvation. But there are millions of people around the world who are dying for lack of clean water. Their lives are consumed by the grotesque chore of looking for clean water, and their days are haunted by the fear of illness.

The only reason that you have clean water is because God decided to let you. Do you realize that? You are not entitled to clean water. Not at all. After all, the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. Including the clean water that comes from your faucet every single day. And the clean water you shower in. And the clean water in the ice in your slushy from Sonic. It is only by the grace of God that you do not have to worry whether or not your water is contaminated.

God does not bless us with physical things so that we can just sit here and be thankful. No, God (as always) has something even better in store for us. He has blessed us richly with physical materials so that we can go and give them away. That is the true beauty of his blessings -- He isn't giving us things merely to enjoy. He is equipping us to go and help a hurting and needy world.

Be thankful that God has given you clean water -- and then go give someone a glass of water. Be thankful that God has given you a warm home -- and then invite someone in so that he can warm himself by the fire. Be thankful that you have a closet full of warm clothes -- and then give some clothes to someone who will otherwise be freezing this winter.

We always think that we don't have the ability to really make a difference. We wait on God to give us a chance and a way to change the world. But I want you to take a step back and look at what you already have. The Lord has given you everything that you need to be Jesus to those around you.

So, my challenge for you is this -- count your blessings. See what God has blessed you with, whether it's money, time, energy, food, clothing, clean water -- count them, one by one, and then go change the world.

780 million people in the world do not have access to clean water (water.org). Photo by Haley Chester

"I have nothing to wear"? Yeah, right.

Today, I was trying to think of what I should wear to a semi-formal event this upcoming Thursday. As I thought through the items in my closet, I came to the same conclusion that I always come to when faced with Homecoming, picture day, or any other semi-formal event -- "I have nothing to wear."

I started making plans to go to Versona and pick out a nice pencil skirt and button-up shirt. I figured I didn't have time tonight, so I'd do it tomorrow. 

I came home and looked through my closet, just curious to see if anything I already owned would be sufficient. I noticed that I had a ton of random t-shirts from church and school, and out of curiosity, I started counting them. Then I counted my jackets. Then my tank tops. Then blouses. Jeans. Shorts. Swimsuits. Dresses. Skirts.

One hundred and sixty. I counted one hundred and sixty articles of clothing in my closet, not including socks and underwear.

"I have nothing to wear"? -- bullcrap.

Considering the fact that most people of the world could fit all of their personal belongings in a single bag, the fact that I had the audacity to think that I don't have enough is completely and utterly ludicrous.

I have no idea what the average amount of clothing for a seventeen-year-old, middle-class white girl in America to own is, but honestly, I don't care. I may have way more or way less than all of my friends, but that so isn't the point. Either way, I have too much.

And here, dear reader(s), is the kicker. As I stood staring at my closet, I couldn't help but wonder how many of those pieces of clothes, whether it be that $200 prom dress, that cute lace blouse, that bright coral pair of shorts -- I couldn't help but wonder how much of it had, in some way or another, been produced by underpaid workers. Or, slaves.

Please note that "underpaid worker" does not automatically mean "slave". Still, it means the exploitation of individuals who are simply trying to support themselves. I have read more than enough articles about work conditions in sweat shops, horrific stories of abuse, harassment, and far worse evils.

The funny thing is, though, that I read these articles months ago. I have known for almost half a year about the way things work, about why my really nice skirt only cost $20. I knew, but apparently, I didn't care enough to change. To stop. I have been okay with financing the exploitation of men, women, and child all around the world for six whole months.

Well, no more. Enough is enough.

So, I'm quitting. Starting January 1, 2014, I will not buy any clothing that is not fair trade for an entire year. Or, at least, I'm gonna try.

I realize that I cannot single-handedly stop the unfair conditions of workers all around the world. Even if I never bought another piece of clothing that was not fair trade, I would still be using items every day that were produced by underpaid workers. Food, coffee, pillows, tea -- you name it. I can't quit all of it.

But I can pick one thing, on product, and kick it. I'm not saying that I will never again buy a piece of clothing that is not fair trade. No, I'm starting smaller. I am starting with a single year. And honestly, I do not know if this is even possible. Can a middle-class American teenage girl go a year without buying clothes from slaves for twelve months? Maybe not...but maybe. And if it is possible, I'm going to do it. Not to amaze the world, but rather to show the world that when we decide that something is not okay, we, as individuals, do have the power to change it. To make a difference.

Even more so than all of this, more than rebelling against the status-quo, more than refusing to support slavery, I want to show the world that Jesus is enough. We live in a culture that screams at young women every single day that you have to buy this, wear that, use these to be pretty enough. Important enough. Good enough.

I do not believe that I need any of this. I do not have to prove myself. I believe that I am all that I need to be, because Christ has redeemed my life from the pit. So, I'm asking you to come along with me on this ride and to be willing to learn alongside me. I am probably going to fail. A lot. But, Lord willing, it will all be worth it in the end. As always, this is going to be a wild ride.

^"Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases^,
  who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion, 
 who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."   

-Psalm 103:2-5