All week, it seems, there have been segments on the news about smart shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Create a budget and stick to it. Study the ads and make comparisons. Beware of the doorbusters. Don’t forget your loyalty card. The tips keep coming. I even learned that there are apps and websites that track prices to help subscribers know they are getting the best price. Somewhere online I even saw Oprah’s Official list of Favorite Things! Unbelievable! I don’t think I’ve bought that many gifts this whole year. As I watched the news and the ads, I wondered if that many people receive a Christmas bonus! Later I saw a news story about American debt on the rise, so I guess not. I am not moved by the ads, won’t be shopping on Friday, and don’t think of shopping as the reason for the season. If I ask my 14 year-old or 11 year-old what they want for Christmas, they are guaranteed to have a response. They have everything they need and mostly everything they want, but they will always have a response. I don’t need anything and don’t want anything. I am content. Grateful. Also in the news this week, we’ve seen and may even know of those directly impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles, California. I saw an elderly lady interviewed about losing her home in Hurricane Michael. Since the storm she has lived at a shelter, in her car, and in a tent. These are just the most recent examples of major loss. And these are just examples from the USA. How dare I want for a bigger TV, a set of copper lined cookware, or some diamond-studded earrings? The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” This verse says “need.” I am not sure to what extent, we are promised that He will supply our wants. Psalm 37:4 says “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” This verse may address our wants, but I still think it is wise to be content and keep our wants in check. A few scriptures about contentment to keep in mind as Black Friday approaches: ~Philippians 4:12-13 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. ~Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. ~1 Timothy 6:6-7 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. Thank you for reading! Happy Thanksgiving! Kim Copyright 2018, Kimberly Griffith Anderson, Author
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
If you like this style of writing, you will enjoy Turn North: A 30-Day Devotional and Journal written by the author of this blog.
Archives
December 2018
Categories |