I've got a new laptop -- new for me anyway. I bought it off Ebay a few days ago and I am using it right now for this blog entry. I got a new ghosting job and my family situation dictates that I needed a more flexible work environment (this means I can take the laptop into my bedroom and shut the door).
I've wanted a laptop for a long time. As a writer it will make my job easier. And because of my new ghost job I had a bit more wiggle room in my finances for a a bit of time.
I plan on using this laptop for a long time. For that to happen I need to take care of it and keep it out of hands that will mess it up. But, this doesn't mean that it will ever become more important than God and people. When things become more important to us than God and people, our priorities are screwed up and our hearts are in the wrong place.
It makes it easier really if our priorities stay with God and people. If we don't get the stuff we want we can wait for it. We can trust God to bring us good things at the perfect time and we can trust Him to know He will meet our needs. If stuff takes priority we will begin to try and control our worlds with our stuff.
This week has been so busy for some reason in my household. Maybe it's because school will start in a couple weeks. But I am feeling so frazzled (also my husband is away copping at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally....I sure admire parents who parent alone all the time), scattered within. When I'm like this I know I've got to get centered on Jesus again. If your heart is filled with stuff or if you are beginning to identify yourself by your stuff, finding peace in Jesus isn't going to work. We can't have both. We have to hold our temporary things on this earth every loosely. We shouldn't invest ourselves emotionally in them. It's okay to enjoy them. It's okay to find delight in them. And definitely it's a good thing to take care of the stuff you in your life. BUT, we need to make sure they stay just stuff, stuff we can easily give up.
As I said I'm a bit frazzled. All my kids are up and playing around me. My schedule is totally off. But one more thing. God provides the things we need to do His work. This laptop is a great illustration of this. If you need a car to go where He's calling you to go, He'll provide a car. If God has called you to do something that costs money, He'll provide the funds. When He calls He equips.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Let me share a few scriptures with you. I'm not sure the stuff I wrote above makes sense!
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. And He will bring forth your righteousness as the light . . . Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Psalm 37:4-7a