A Season of Thankfulness...and Last Call

I wish it was more of a LIFESTYLE of thankfulness.  Not just a season...

Let me tell you about this wee lil' battle that exists with in me.

I wish to be thankful...always.  But like everyone and their mother I too covet and want MORE.  I think about all the things I WANT far more often than I think about all the things that I'm thankful for.  It's a struggle and it frustrates me.

I see a lot of blogs/magazines, and etc. that focus on style, fashion, beauty, home decore, and etc.  I like these things.  I crave and want these things.  I WANT to buy the latest fashion, the latest pair of boots, the latest pair of pants, the latest cute infinity scarf.  And then I look in my closet and see ALL the plants, ALL the shoes, the 5 scarves I already have and I feel just...frustrated.  Especially frustrated when I buy something that I really didn't need.  Frustrated that I feel convicted to live more simply and more purposeful and yet I fall into the trap of "I want, I buy" far too often. 

blah.

I understand that these things in and of themselves are not "bad".  But I also am beginning to realize that nothing is truly neutral....well, maybe somethings are.  Breathing, coughing, pooping, etc.  :)  But yeah...anyways.  As I was saying.  I personally have trouble managing the fine line between enjoying something sparingly and "going full out I'm totally obsessed I think about it 24/7."  Yeah.

Sometimes I just want to go through my closet and my whole house...strip it all bare of the things we don't REALLY need, sell it, and donate all the money to some far off village in Africa that doesn't know where their next meal/fresh water will come from.  But then...just in case you think I'm some sort of saint (we aren't really at risk of such a thing now are we?  Let's not try to fool ourselves. hehe.)  Other times though, I just want to walk through Anthropologie and buy every darn cute outfit/home decore item, sit in my house with everything scattered about, and relish in my beautiful material goods.  There.  There is the battle that exits with in me.  Always there.  Always battling for dominance.

All this to say.  I just want to GIVE.  I want to give a heck of a lot more and BUY a heck of a lot less.  I want to be so utterly thankful and content with what I have and where I'm at that the thought of adding to my needless collection of worldly goods just seems plain...boring.  Blah.  None desirable.

So yes, here's to a season of Thanksgiving!  Here's to a God that has blessed us so very abundantly (like really, we have food, $$$, clothing, warmth, clean water, health care).  Oh snap, look at that, the new Anthro catalog just came out!  :)  jk....sorta.

***SO on a completely different note...this is the last call for my You Bake Me Happy Wednesday Winner (scroll down to see if it was you!)  I really want to give you your treat but haven't heard from you soooooo, yeah.  If I don't hear anything by Saturday at noon I will have to pick a new winner!  boo hoo hoo.***