But we Deserve it… Or Do We?

Everyday, new products and services shove their way into our lives. Before we know it, every Joe around us has it, and sometimes we think, “Well, if he has it, I certainly can! Besides, I owe it to myself!”
I’m just an uneducated observer, ( Never having gone to College/ University.) but it seems there is this growing desire in recent years, to have stuff. By stuff, I mean anything that makes life more enjoyable or convenient, but is not an absolute necessity.
I, of course, can not exclude myself from the mass of over-buyers. As I type this, I am sitting in a cozy living room with too many couches, with my laptop on my lap, my cellphone within arm’s reach, two cars in the driveway, ( though only one currently runs), boxes of unused items in storage, and the list goes on.
I was going through one of my daily devotions a while back, and it told me to think about all I had bought the past week. Then challenged me to ask myself, everytime I pulled out my wallet, “Will this purchase be a wise one, and will it honor God?”  I think the point of this devotion was to remind me that all I have is God’s; that I am just a steward of it.
But instead, it made this little penny pincher feel more guilty.
I wiggle my toes as I stand on the line. If it is the line.
There is a line, isn’t there? Between enjoying some of the luxuries of life and seeing them as a blessing from God, or just plain-out selfishly over-indulging? How does one determine where that line is? Is it on an individual level? A matter of whether or not the Spirit convicts us? Or is there (Or should there be- ) a universal line?
I think as North Americans, we’ve set our standard of living bar rather high. The things we deem as necessary, maybe aren’t.
Obviously, people with a different set of beliefs will think rather differently.
Success, status, prestige – they are all highly valued in today’s world. Work hard, play harder. Or at least that’s how it seemed to be.
I’m going to switch tracks a bit here.
I previously mentioned this growing desire among people lately, to own stuff. To own stuff because we think we deserve it. To have access to certain luxuries or services. In recent years it seems, our ‘deservingness’, ( perhaps not a word… is it?) is less a matter of what we’ve worked hard for, and more of, what we feel entitled to.  An idea of ‘ Well, life’s pushed me around long enough. I’m doing this for me. I’m buying this new ___’
And now, that which we ‘deserve’, is more ‘affordable’ than ever!
0% Down!
0% Interest rate!
Only $399 Bi-weekly!
I’m sure we have all seen similar advertisements. Perhaps even bought into them.
We are an impatient generation. Gone are the days of working hard for what you have. (Though I don’t really fully understand the saying-) We’ll have our cake and eat it too.
“Well, I can afford the payments, so… I’ll take it!”
It’s a struggle, I confess, but there are some people my heart turns stone-y towards; the people who complain and fuss about money, but have recently bought a car, house, new furniture, AND, go to starbucks every day of the week. Though my observations are not statistics, these people often seem to be 20-somethings; sometimes even in their 30s. Just because I think differently, doesn’t mean I am right.
But sometimes, I    Just     Don’t      Understand.
I’m starting to rant a little, aren’t I? Clearly a sign of it being past my bedtime.
We are to be good stewards of that which we have been given. If we can’t afford it, maybe we shouldn’t  buy it.
And if we can afford it, well… Where’s the line?
Does our life reflect the work of God? Or of the world?

Just my thoughts of the day.

A Story Behind the Name

I love my husband. Even with all his little quirks. And prior to marrying him, I figured I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting into.
One of his quirks – an “evening quirk”, perhaps is what I should call it, – is that he sleep walks. And talks. I’m just thankful it’s not every night. Or that I’m in too deep of an unconscious state to take notice.
On a less active sleep talk/walk night, he might mumble a few things in his sleep that my brain is too groggy to comprehend. Or get up from the bed to look out the window. At this point, I will patiently tell him to come back to bed. And he listens everytime. So far.
But there is the occasional night, that I am left baffled and amused…

It was the middle of the night, a few months ago. Something had caused me to come out of my deep slumber into a state of almost-consciousness. Most evenings, I would just roll over, and quickly fall back asleep. But this night, my barely-opened eyelids caught some movement; a desperate thrashing of sorts.
No… not thrashing.
More like… swatting.
My husband  was frantically swatting at something. Had I been given a couple minutes to figure things out, I might have come to a logical conclusion, like, perhaps there was a bug buzzing around the room.
That is, up until- clear as day- he asked ” How are you doing that with your eyes closed?”
Huh?
But I’m..?
What am I doing now?
*Baffled*
I don’t think I even had a chance to verbally express my confusion, before my husband stands up on the bed, and starts swatting at the ceiling fan!
*Amused*
Thank goodness it was Not turned on! ( Whether or not as a result of this little episode, we have not once used our ceiling fan during the night.)
The following morning, I just had to know what was going through his head that night. So I asked him.
Apparently, I was flying a bunch of little remote-control helicoptors around the room. With my eyes closed.
Why he was swatting at them, is still a mystery to me.
Was he trying to destroy them?
Or catch them?
We may never know.
I married a Sleep-walker. I guess these are my evenings from now on.

Beginner’s Blogging Babble

If I were to write a blog, what would it be about? What about myself would I want to share with everyone? What opinions or insights would I want to post on the world wide web? Maybe that depends on my blog readers; my audience. My audience should determine my topics, right? Or should my topics determine my audience? Or perhaps it’s both?
Since a blog is essentially a Web Log, and I, the Web Logger, I guess it would make sense to start with who I am.
24. My age that is. Not my favorite number. Or TV show, for that matter.
Hands-on. No, hands off for you, thank you. I mean, I like to work with my hands. I like arts and crafts, photo stuff; I like to bake, put things together; I like to write. And write… And write…
I am a Christian. And an introvert. So you may not see me downtown preaching on street corners anytime soon. But I do believe in one truth; that God loves the world- that God Loves US.  That Jesus died for our sins; though we are broken, selfish, and undeserving. And that he sent us the Holy Spirit, to guide us through all of our days. And out of our Love for God, we in turn dedicate our lives- our selves- to serving him and the kingdom. My faith. In a nutshell. (Now, if only it were that easy to live out my faith!)
I’m sure most of us, at one point or another, have pondered our purpose. Why am I here? What am I supposed to do? I cannot exclude myself from these ponderings, but have been thinking about them from a slightly different angle.
I have gifts. Not because I’m extra special. In fact, we all have gifts. And though lately I have taken a lifekeys course to help shine a light on what these gifts are in my life, I still find myself scratching my head, and mumbling  “Huh?”
So, my struggle as of late…
What the heck am I good at?? I’m talking way more than just enjoying something. I mean, what can I do that inspires others? How can I serve God in such a way that feels natural? In such a way that allows me to be fully who He made me to be?

And so, I continue on this quest!