I have a problem spending money on myself. I feel guilty about it. I certainly don't NEED stuff. But I want stuff. I see shiny things and I want them. As Christians, we're not supposed to store up treasures on Earth. However, I have a bathroom cabinet full of treasures, more product than any person needs for their hair and skin, EVER.
I bought a bottle of Clinique moisturizer the other day. Still feeling guilty about it. It was $23 dollars, as opposed to the $4 generic moisturizer I got last month that made my skin freak out. While I was feeling guilty, I kept wondering why God would bless me with the abundance I have, and what I was supposed to do with it. And I realized, with the help of my husband, that God wants us to enjoy what we have been blessed with. If buying $23 dollar moisturizer is going to help me feel better about how I present myself, then I can concentrate on something a little more important than my appearance. But God also wants us to share...
On the way out of the mall that day, I purchased Christmas gifts for a child I'll never meet. Our church is doing a program to donate boxes of presents to children whose Christmas would definately suck otherwise. So I got a little emotional in the isle at Target; picking just the right stuffed cat for a three year old girl who otherwise would never have something cuddly to sleep with. So I have a new plan; every time I want to overindulge a little on myself, I'm going to share that same amount of money with an organization or program which needs that money to help others. Hopefully, that keeps me in perspective, but as I am a sinful being, I can't promise anything.
I'm starting this blog as an exercise in theological thinking, and as an outlet for my thoughts which are not being expressed in class discussion or in a multitude of sermons and papers at school. I'm serving a wonderful, vibrant parish for one year, and hopefully this blog will be a tool for some of them to get to know me, as well as for me to process some of my Lutheran notions. Happy Reading!
Saturday, November 11, 2006
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2 comments:
I know that the whole concept of Chrismas "angel trees" raises hackles in people who see it as selling out to consumerism and encouraging a consumerist mentality in kids from socioeconomic backgrounds least able to support it...but for me it all comes down to the grace thing; to, in some small way, mirror the extravagance of a gracious God. I picked out two angel tree tags from our community tree today on my lunch break (two little girls, one an aspiring artist and one a budding scientist/jewelry designer according to their tags -- how cool is that?), and am looking forward to fulfilling some of their Christmas wishes.
Nice post. It is a challenge balancing the financial needs/wants, etc. Get the moisturizer that makes you feel as great as you really are - as great as God made you - and pass on the love.
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