Working towards contentment

I am concerned by the conspicuous consumption that has taken hold of my city. It is a symptom of the disease of greed, a disease that I suffer from.

More enjoyment can be had through economy and fiscal efficiency. Life is much more enjoyable when I'm not trying to keep up with ballooning debt and outrageous bills. Living within my means has proven far easier. My husband and I are working towards improving our financial situation by paring down expenses and paying down debt as fast as possible. It's a wonderful feeling when I can go to the mall and not buy a single thing, because I finally realized that I don't need anything. I have enough stuff. What I need to do is take care of what I already have. Doing this makes room for me to enjoy life. I need to be content with what I have.

A daily reminder for myself: Buy only what you need. More stuff is just more stuff to take care of and worry about. That new thing will not make you happier. If you can't decide which one to get, you must not need any of them.

It's not like we can't afford things. Our family income places us in one of the highest income tax brackets. It's that the joy in being able to save money and put it towards worthy causes is immense.

Here are some Bible verses on the topic of greed that caught my eye.

Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be a somebody and have no food. Proverbs 12:9

Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. Proverbs 11:4

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have. Hebrews 13:5

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21


Finally, here's a link to an article in Christianity Today on the topic of greed.

Attitude makes all the difference

Attitude...It's yours. You own it. No one can give it to you and no one can take it away. A good one can be a key to a better future; a bad one works as a lock on the door of opportunity. Carpenter Magazine, Jan-Mar 2006 issue.

When you choose to be pleasant and positive in the way you treat others, you have also chosen, in most cases, how you are going to be treated by others. Zig Ziglar

What we see depends mainly on what we look for. Sir John Lubbock

Here is a link to a suggested Bible study on positive attitude, from Christianbiblestudies.com. You can also browse through ChristianityToday.com.

Daily reading

Every day, I read the meditation and bible passages set out in Forward Day by Day. Okay, most days. Sometimes I forget, because I'm not perfect. It really helps me stay on track, and reminds me of my purpose.

Theme of the Week: Love

Love is so important in everyday life. Remember to tell someone you love them. Do something nice for your neighbours, or for a complete stranger.

Pope Benedict XVI has released his first encyclical, all about love. You can read it on the Vatican website, here. Good words for all people.

Image by Christart.com - check out their site for free Christian clipart.

Accepting prayer requests

If you are in need of prayer, leave a comment for me.

This week I will be praying for:

• my husband, who works long hours,
• my mother, who is full of anger, bitterness, and hatred,
• my father, who in spite of many obstacles is doing very well,
• my daughter, who at 10 months old is full of promise,
• Stephen Harper and our elected officials, who have an enormous task ahead of them