Thou Shalt Not Covet

Boy, did I mess up in this area big-time yesterday.

We needed to run into town for a few things last evening--little things like tape and a board to support the boys' beds--so we went to Home Depot and Walmart. In our town, those two stores are beside each other in a shopping center dubbed by at least one local resident as "The Pit." Last night, there were mobs of people there, almost as bad as at Christmas. The reason it was so busy yesterday? Classes are starting up again at our local university, and thousands of students are descending upon us again. Unlike some of the people who have lived here for years and years and years, I actually like our university AND the students there; and seeing them last night brought back so many memories of my own adventure with going away to college for the first time and all the preparations for that. What color towels should I buy? What comforter should I get? Do I need a rug for my room? What kind of laundry basket should I buy? These were just a few of the hundreds of decisions I had to make before leaving home for college--and I loved it.

But I digress...

Last night, seeing so many people shopping and spending what I'm sure was large amounts of money, and realizing what incredible merchandise is available in the stores in our country, and thinking about all the things I would have liked to be buying, was just too much for me. It started at Home Depot. Oh, a book about redoing a patio or adding a porch? That looks great! I'd sure like us to do a project like that. Oh, look at these ceiling fans? Aren't they gorgeous? And the kitchen section? I didn't even dare to go there because I knew I'd be drooling for sure. On and on it went.

Then off to Walmart for more of the same envy. So much nice new stuff! And I found myself just wishing that I had more money. Then I realized how sick my heart was--to be thinking of all that I didn't have but would like to have, rather than how blessed I am by the abundance of things we have and blessed by the secure feeling that comes from living within a budget and not being unwise financially! I would never want to trade that for a new________ -- anything!

So home we came with our simple purchases. And the funny thing is the boys were absolutely thrilled by our cheap, end-of-the-season, marked-down flip-flops we bought for our upcoming beach trip. We couldn't find real flip-flops for David, but we did find these Thomas the Tank Engine water shoes for him, and he has not wanted to take them off since we got them. We had to tell him that he really couldn't sleep with them last night before he was willing to take them off! This morning, the first thing he wanted when he got out of bed was to get out these shoes and put them on. I long for that kind of heart--content with the simple things, living in the moment and enjoying it completely, being completely oblivious to how much or how little something cost. Being thrilled with $3 water shoes--that is my goal. :)