The Gimmies

There I go again! I have made the same mistake! A status on Facebook or a conversation about shopping gets me almost every time! Why is that? As Mama Bear Berenstain of the children's books would say, I get the "gimmies!" When I get "a bad case of the gimmies," I have to remind myself of these things:

1. Debt is bad, get rid of it.
2. Orphans in Vietnam
3. Women who chose life for their babies.
4. Hans Peter has a full belly in Haiti tonight.
5. Homeschooling my children.
6. Growing students to a relationship with Christ.
7. Supporting our missionaries
8. The more I have, the more I have to take care of.
9. If it is not broke, why replace it and if it is broke, why replace it? (no, that is not a typo.)

My frugal friend, Shannon's oven broke. She has searched for a used one with no leads. She remembered an old toaster oven her mother-in-law had given her in their camper. She has been cooking for her family for probably a month in a toaster oven! She made pecan pies in her toaster oven! This girl has some of the same points on her list as I do. Her dad called her one day to see if she still needed a stove. She got one, a green one. It is ugly, but it works and it was absolutely free.

I am called to be a steward of my finances just like Shannon. Do I have what I need? YES! Does that mean that I may have less then top of the line, like Shannon's green stove? Yeah, it does.

I am reminded of Luke 16:10-11 where Jesus said, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"

Do I want a new wardrobe, printer, remodeled kitchen, or a new vehicle? That would be nice! Would I rather be trusted with true riches? You better believe it!!