Peach says: Last week I had to stop by the store, (probably for coffee or something basic like that). While there, I thought, ‘What else am I out of that I could use this opportunity to pick it up?’. So, naturally I chose miniature dark chocolates, because every girl needs her random chocolate, right? Of course! Next morning, I’m showering for work and reach for my (MUCH needed) conditioner and remember with chagrin, that I had meant to add that to my necessaries list for my recent store run. I had to get a pair of scissors and cut the empty bottle open just to get by until my NEXT run to the store!! Groan!
I told my husband, that I had just been to the store the day before, and had gotten chocolate, which of course I didn’t TRULY need!! I NEEDED my conditioner! I only WANTED the chocolate!! I was much annoyed at the trick my wants had perpetrated over my needs!! That I had hoodwinked myself! It was an eye opening epiphany to what goes on in large and small degrees in all of our lives as individuals, communities and nations.
We often pay more attention to our what our flesh (or sinful human nature) wants, than the part of us that is still learning to submit to God’s Holy Spirit within us, than what we really truly need, what is more of a point of wisdom, necessity, or practicality, and what the Holy Spirit would guide us to. Galatians 5 talks about what walking according to the Spirit will result in, what it looks like, and lists the results of such living, (also known as ‘fruits’, which points to these fruits naturally showing up in our lives, for fruit cannot not be compelled!) I find this most encouraging! Why? It reminds us we are the branches and He is the Vine! He is working His good out in us, as we abide in Him! My favorite fruit? Self control or discipline! A beautiful, wonderful fruit of the Holy Spirit living in you and empowering you for a good, a fruitful, a sweet and satisfying life.
There is so much profit, benefit, that comes from living a disciplined life, contented in the Lord, knowing good is being wrought inside of you, and in your life, well ordered, focused and according to guiding principles, goals and plans. It makes room for large and FREE and satisfying, FUN living. “Now The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, true freedom).” 2 Corinthians 3:17.
It might seem a simple thing, but all giant, rooted and grounded things start low, start small. And I don’t want to live a small, hobbled life according to my wants. I want to live life according to my needs, according to wisdom, according to a Holy Spirit led, practicality that leads to wide open spaces of grace and freedom! I don’t want to be the ‘Buy now, pay later’ kind of person! I want to be the ‘I saved this up, so now is the right time to make this purchase!’. I want to be that person that eats healthy and exercises enough that the occasional dessert and meal with the ‘extras’ won’t hurt me! That goes to bed at a decent time so I can get a rare form start on the next day!
This push mower is great example of Need vs Want! We want to replace our riding lawn mower deck, for about $700. But, this is not something we really need to do right now. We could. But, we choose to do it later, at a more practical, opportune time. Our yard has need for a riding and a push mower. So, we decided get a good push mower, (self-propelled! It is a DREAM to use!) for now, at less than half the cost, and much benefit to our yard! Need vs want!! We end up better off in the long run! Come late July we will replace the deck, when we are good and ready! And we will be better equipped, all the way around, by being smart in planning our money and equipping our yard!
The yard looks good! Our account looks good, and I’m feeling pretty fruity!! 🙂
The Adventures and Musings of Peach and Batman 