I know everyone had done it. They have bills to pay and tithes to be made, and not quite enough money to go around. Yet a sale flyer will show up in the mail, or online, and in mere moments, a decision has been made to put off paying for the things that are important, and instead, a shopping trip is planned. The trip goes well. The things sought out for a very nice price have been found, purchased, and brought home. You feel good about the shopping trip. Then on Sunday at church, the offering plate goes by and you don't put anything in. All the sudden, that shopping trip isn't feeling so good. You think wistfully of those silly craft items that you bought and tucked away for another time. You almost feel ashamed. You really didn't NEED those things, instead, you were swayed by a great price on things that you might find useful down the road.
We've all done it. I've done it far more than I would care to admit. This is one of those lessons that God has really been dealing with me on over the last several months. I've really had to pay attention to those desires to go spend money that really isn't available to spend. This past Christmas was the perfect example of how paying more attention can really help me to be responsible with what God has given us. In the past, when we've done our Christmas shopping, we've planned a couple of trips out where we really just walked into a store and wandered the aisles putting this and that into the cart, not really paying attention. I would look at an item and wonder if Abigail would like it. If I thought she would, it would go into the cart. There were many gifts that my kids received that had very little thought put into them. Simply a "that's what was on the shelf" mentality, and a need in my mind to buy them lots of gifts.
This year was different. We had very little money to spend, and needed to be wise with the gifts that we bought. As a result, we ended up with less gifts for the kids, but way more thought went into them. I took the time to seek out what I knew they wanted, and budgeted carefully so that I would be able to buy them gifts they would love. It worked beautifully! I don't think there was a gift under that tree that hasn't been cherished and appreciated. There aren't any of those gifts that they could have done without or that they really didn't like. They both knew that their gifts had been lovingly and carefully selected for them, and I think that made them appreciate their gifts even more.
Something that God has placed on my heart to do is to really think hard about a purchase before I make it. Even if it's something simple, it can make a difference. A few weeks ago I needed ink for my printer. I really didn't want to spend the money, but I thought I had no choice- I really needed to do some printing. But when I got to the store, they were out of my ink of all things, and I had to go with a back-up idea. Which was to use a different printer that we have that already had ink. If I had only thought about it well in advance, I simply would have hooked up the different printer. Sometimes I put blinders on and I don't see the big picture. I get it in my mind that I need to buy the supplies for a new wall-hanging decoration for church. And I hope and I hope that the money will come in to do so. Then, as I'm putting away my Christmas decorations, I see bits and pieces that can be put together to make a rather stunning wall-hanging, without costing me a penny.
By opening up my mind and my eyes to really seeing what's before me, and what we have, I can be more responsible with what God has provided us. Instead of rushing out to go see that new movie in the movie theater, we rummage through the board games and find one that we haven't played in a while. Or we'll record a movie that is on TV that we've talked about watching with the kids. Add a homemade pizza, and we've had a fantastic family night without spending a penny and leaving the home. God is so good! He's been placing these ideas and inklings into my mind, and it's just been wonderful to have my eyes opened to the possibilities.
"She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come." Proverbs 31:25
I can't wait to see what is to come! I cannot wait to see what else God will open my eyes to. Just yesterday I was wishing I had the money to treat myself to a new tablecloth. Not minutes later I was rummaging around in the basement and I found two lengths of fabric that I forgot I had! They are more than enough to make a new tablecloth, and I cannot wait to take the time to piece it together. God is great, and just waiting for us to ask him to open our eyes to his possibilities. Are we ready for them? I know I am, and I'm looking forward to the experience.
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