The golden world outside my window.
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Are you familiar with the Wish Lists you can make at Amazon.com?
Frankly, I believe they are magical.
I mean, sometimes I'll place a book into my Wish List for later when I have some extra money to spend. I'll add a couple books which friends online recommended or a tiny kitchen gadget or a clothing article or yes, more books which I'd like to ponder about longer before ordering, perhaps adding them in November to my own personal Christmas List.
And then the amazing magical thing happens: When I return to my wish list a week (or more) later, I often say, "Why did I ever want to buy that book? It sounds boring, actually." Or, "I found even prettier scarves at a yard sale and for only a fraction of the cost. I'm thankful I waited." Or, "Whew. Glad I didn't order that set of tv series dvd's--Netflix has them in instant view now."
Some items have languished upon my Wish Lists for years because I still kinda-sorta want them. But I'm fooling myself--most likely I'll never order those dusty, rusty old things.
Now, occasionally I'll return to my wish list months later and yay! I'll discover a book (usually my wish lists are crammed with books) which still excites me and I'll go ahead and buy it. But more often? I'm leaning over the computer clicking delete, delete, delete, delete, delete as I peer down my Wish List.
Ahh... the power to walk away when our heads are screaming, "I. Want. That!" "I. Neeed. That." "Must. Have. That. Now!"
I think they call it self-control.
You've heard of that, right? It's a fruit of the spirit, a safety switch of Wisdom, and I'm thinking God gave me Amazon Wish Lists as a power-boost to keep my self-control working correctly in this era where self-gratification is the aim of the day.
Thank-you, Amazon. Thank-you, Lord, for giving us Wish Lists. :)
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I found this a rather awesome thing for a dad to do.
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Speaking of books, I finally went to our town library again, but only to search all squinty-eyed in the dark back room through their book sale shelves. I bought these from the young librarian who looked strikingly like the actress, Diane Farr, for a mere $1.20, total:
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"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." ... Galations 5:22,23
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A house a few streets away...
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2 comments:
Isn't that so true. It's like window shopping. Lovely to look at but I don't have to buy it. I've been cleaning out *again*. Actually, just helping my college age daughter go thru her room and sort into "donate", "throw out", or "memorabelia to store"as she matures and changes. In order to make room to store things she wants to keep I am moving things out to Goodwill again. I just can't seem to par down enough...there's always something more! I think the change of seasons always brings that need to the forefront again.
Love the picture of the house with the awning. : )
I sure know that even lately I have seen a few items I Really Wanted. But Knew I should not get as they were fluff I Really Didn't Need. Yes they were amazing and yes they were 'just' my style etc etc. Yes they were not something I could make myself...but now looking back I know for sure I am glad I didn't get them. Whew! I remember the times I have walked away from other things I really wanted and the price was rock bottom...used + now marked down 75%. I knew it was so special someone else would snap it up as soon as I walked away. But I did. Then later I did know it was something I did need etc. And you guessed it...it was still there much later when I went again to that store! I try to pray when I go out shopping for anything that God will help me spend wisely and act according to His wishes for the way I act. Naturally there are things I have desired that I could not or did not get. Yet so few really. When you really think of it we are soooo very blessed in our lives here. We already have all we need..the rest is just extras. Just things. If we all stopped to review over time what we bought or did not...we would surely have less extras in our closets to have to sort through later to just give away! :)
Oh I do like that house with the stripe awning! So like the homes I grew up among. They were built in the 20s and 30s. Sarah
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