I had this wild and crazy idea that maybe I could give up buying shoes for lent this year. I know…such a sacrifice, right? I mean 40 days and 40 nights without a shoe purchase! Compared to what Christ did for us on the cross not exactly apples to apples. However, to this shoeaholic this is a big deal. Then I thought…maybe I could go an entire year…yes, year…without buying one single solitary pair of shoes. Now that would be victory over my addiction. Victory you say? Oh yes…remember…there is no logic when it comes to this problem…kind of like calories when I am pregnant…trust me…NO logic whatsoever! I thought surely I could do this…but tell others? No way! But why? Well, then I wouldn’t have to stick to it of course. But, can I really do it?
This week we studied “The World is too much with us” in our study on Becoming a Woman of Simplicity. Ironically right before I pulled my book out last Wednesday night to work on it my husband told me we might be getting a minivan. A minivan…functional, yes…sleek, stylish and sophisticated, not exactly. However, before I threw my “But I want a [gas guzzling, fully loaded, late-model, ridiculously expensive, completely irrational and unneeded] Suburban” fit he told me we could buy it right (oh how I hate that ‘price is right’ stuff!), fix it up, and drive it for a while. Then I realized…does it really matter what I drive? Um, no. If it gets me and my children where we need to go safely and we all actually fit…which we don’t really in what we drive now…who cares! Needless to say if I had thrown the “But I want….” fit we probably would’ve ended up with it, which we did not. I am really glad I actually listened to him because of what we studied this week! Talk about moth and rust destroy!
God has really been speaking to me about contentment. We have lived in our house for 4 years and up until a few months ago I was chomping at the bit to get the basement finished. If we could “just get it done” I would just love this house! But I do love this house! It is nothing short of an immense blessing! Once I finally just said “When it gets done, it gets done. We need to trust God’s timing.” Whala! We’ll be done in 6 weeks from now. What…six weeks!? What took 4 years to get to will be done in 6 weeks! Hmmm…maybe there’s something to be learned here.
In all of the areas I’ve struggled, wrestled and exhausted myself with discontentment over I seem to have immense peace! Certainly this isn’t from myself…remember the illogical shoeaholic? I just don’t even care anymore! Do I still love shoes? Absolutely! But I don’t feel the need to buy any because I certainly have plenty to spare. Do I still need a different car? Yes, but I really don’t care what it is as long as it’s safe and big enough to fit everyone and all of their stuff. Do I want the basement done? Yes, but not so intently and passionately. It’s coming day by day and consequently the light is at the end of the tunnel. So why did I not get this sooner? Why did I stress and worry and wish and hope and really…be so stupid?
Well…the world was too much in me. From fashion magazines to car commercials, Lowe’s ads to the very homes I was selling…I was just never content with what I had. There was always something better, something more, something greater. But what I realized this week is I HAVE what every person needs…Jesus lives in me! HELLO! Jesus, who is God, the almighty maker of heaven and earth, the Guy with unlimited resources…yeah, Him…He’s on my side. He’s looking out for me, my children, my husband, my friends and my family not just because I ask Him to, because He wants to! He loves us…oh how He loves us! Jesus lives in me…what more could I possibly want?!
SO…can I make it this entire year without buying a single solitary pair of shoes and possibly end up driving a functional minivan…you’re darn right I can! Will it be easy? No! Will I be tempted to complain or whine or be discontent? Surely! And I put it here to be held accountable to make the right choice and be thankful and content with what God has so richly blessed me with! So here’s to a wonderful and thankful 2011 with no new shoes and more square footage…both in the potential purchase of a minivan and our house! May we all be content!
Wonders of HIS Love 