Sunday by the Sea

"He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. . . . As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he many carry away in his hand." ~ Ecclesiastes 5:10, 15.

I need desperately to be reminded of this. How complicated life becomes with greed! I have indulged myself so much lately, from food to books. I'm not satisfied with the piece of cake I had at dinner--I also want some of that candy I let myself buy for my pumpkin candy container. I'm not satisfied with the wonderful deal I got on a book online--I also have to buy the "Love Inspired Suspense" book I let myself look at in the store.

So much is about attitude. We are aware of our limits, but we test them until we are overcome with the desire to cross them. Oh, I need help! How many times have I talked about my desire to stop buying so much, to stop being so greedy? I'm so sorry to you, my readers, for being so hypocritical. I go through spurts where I let myself go. I just let myself get whatever I want, and in so doing, I lose sight of what is truly valuable.

What does this have to do with the sea? Well, the picture above is of me probably a couple of years ago or so (back when I had bangs!). I was with a good friend, my mom, and my sister. The four of us were on a little beach, collecting shells. What wonderful gifts memories are! What wonderful gifts family and friends are! What a wonderful gift the beauty of God's creation is!

When I get caught up with material possessions, it is as if I'm sitting on the beach, hoarding bits of shells and grains of sand in one little space--alone. I'm missing out on the opportunities for memories with others having fun on the beach. I'm missing out on the feel of the wind on my face and the sun shining warm around me. I'm missing out on the spectacular view of the ocean meeting the horizon.

In the same way, I've been squandering money and collecting little bits and pieces, missing out on something special and wonderful when I lose my eternal perspective. I need to look up from my pile of sand and stand in awe of the wide ocean of God's purposes and the destiny He has for me.

May I use the gifts God has given me wisely. May I hold some shells in my hand and smile at the blessings God gives, seeing their beauty as a reminder to look to the everlasting beauty of the Lord who created them.

May I not lose sight of the ocean for the fragile fragments I hold for now.

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
~ Matthew 6:21

A Season for Learning

Fall marks the beginning of a new school year, a time of learning from books and teachers. But fall also marks an important time of learning in the "Seasons of Humility." That is to say, "fall" is the season of life I speak of in my poem (in the sidebar) when we feel the most confused, the most selfish. It is the time when we really need to be reminded to look to God and trust in His will--to be humble before Him.

Right now I really need this lesson. Some of you may remember the "Treasure Challenge" that I set up for myself this summer. Well, I followed it for the most part, although I know I could have done better, spending less on food, games at the fair, etc. I did also get a book at Borders this summer, although it was mostly part of a gift (long story with that one!).

Anyway, the point is that I know I have a problem with greed, which the "Treasure Challenge" was supposed to help with. I still want to buy more and I keep seeing more that I want. But it isn't just that. My selfishness has extended to impatience, as well. Not only do I want more, but I want it now. And that's a big problem!

From my comments on Goodreads to the thoughts within my mind, I keep desiring the "next" thing--the next book, etc.--and I keep missing out on what I already have. God has so richly blessed me, yet I haven't been content or shown my gratefulness nearly as much as I ought to. God has His own perfect timing for everything, and I know that His will is what I should seek.

Thanks to a post on author Tamera Alexander's blog, I started getting a "Verse of the Day" sent to my e-mail from CLASH entertainment every day. This is one of the recent ones I received, and it really was a verse I needed to read:


The verse is Ecclesiastes 5:10. What a fitting description of greed, and unfortunately, what a fitting description of my own poor attitude. I have had the wonderful opportunity to read so many new books this summer, many of them from blogging friends and publishing companies. I still have a great TBR stack, so why do I have to be thinking of what books will be coming next all the time? I really need to be able to appreciate what I have!

So with that in mind, I hope to have something similar to the "Treasure Challenge" going for the school year, or at least some way to remind myself to stop buying so much! I confess to buying something for myself today, though, since summer is pretty much over. I used an Amazon.com gift card to pay for part of the package: Courting Morrow Little and a DVD copy of North & South. For those of you who follow Laura Frantz' blog, you know why I'm calling this my "Laura Frantz" package. ;) I hope to find much enjoyment and encouragement from these items, but I hope that I will not let myself get carried away with buying more and more.

After reading this I'm sure you can see why I said I have a lot to learn! May the Lord help all of us to use the resources He has given us wisely and to exercise moderation. May the Lord help us to learn the beauty of contentment and the joy of gratefulness. And may the Lord help us to trust in His timing and in His plan, that we might rest in the hope of the coming springtime season of humility.