All I want for Christmas

     I have always read that it is the younger generation that powers the spending at Christmas.  I understand that now.  My family is trying to pry a wish list out of me and it is honestly difficult to come up with one.  So far I've come up with house shoes and underwear (lol).
     Last week I went to a home to repair their telephone line.  Parking my truck, I noticed the garage door up and an avalanche of "stuff" spilling out onto the concrete driveway.  Honestly, it was piled to the ceiling and there was no way you could even walk inside.  There were two large dogs guarding the front door and barking ferociously.  I had already spoken to her on a cell phone, so I just walked around back to check the line.  From the back side of the house, all the curtains were missing and each window displayed the same disease as the garage, hoarding!  It was one of the worst cases I've ever seen.  The owner finally came out, sipping a cup of coffee.  She didn't see embarrassed and, of course I didn't ask about her overindulgent hobby.
     It seems we are all at times overly consumed with "stuff".   Most of it isn't something we need, we just want it.  Others have it, the commercials say it's awesome, so we want one too.  It doesn't matter we're still paying on the last one we bought.   This new one is a better version with more functions--whatever it is.
     I seem to be moving in the other direction.  I like being warm and comfortable, inside on a rainy day, and my tummy comfortably fed.  Sounds a lot like Winnie-the-Pooh doesn't it?  Speaking of Pooh, I like good friends too.
     Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content".  Combine that with the thought that God is going to provide for our needs(Matthew 6:30) and you could make the argument against buying that new item.  Do you really need it?  Is it just to excite your human senses?  If you still just absolutely have to have it...  Stay a little behind the curve of the new prices.  Buy a slightly used product from the thrift store, a deep discount store, or from some owner who just bought the newest model and is selling the old one.
     Who knows, the money you continually save, may help you pay for that emergency that will happen when you least expect it.  Or, it could even help you enjoy a great retirement one day!