I am tempted...

to buy things I don't need because they are a great deal today on Black Friday. Last night, Thanksgiving night, we loaded up to return some Redbox movies. I told the kids we will just run into Wal-Mart, return the movies and grab some milk...and then I remembered the sales had already started. We live in a small town and I wondered how many people would actually be at Wal-Mart. As we drove by I looked back and could see my children's eyes getting big...Carson said, "Mom, just look at all those cars!" It was a sight. The lot was full and they had parked all up and down the access road and across the street. There were people crossing the four lane road to get to Wal-Mart by foot. Wow! We continued on and pulled up to Kroger instead. It was dark and a sign on the door said, "We will be closing at 5pm to allow employees time with family." I found myself proud of Kroger even though I did some bad planning and still needed milk. We returned the movies in the Redbox with the empty parking lot and made our way back home. I cannot tell you how many emails I have received in the past 24 hours to let me know what great Black Friday deals are just waiting for me. It makes me feel tempted to buy. I don't need anything. All of our Christmas shopping list has been checked twice and purchased before Thanksgiving. Why? Because I knew that the commercialism of Christmas would get me. If I didn't get the shopping done before then I would be frenzied, concerned and overbuy things that weren't even on the list simply because they were such a great deal. I am not tempted to load up and shop with a gazillion people at our local stores but I am tempted to participate online and that may be even worse. I can access it anytime and my purchase will come straight to me. No fuss there. Here is what the Lord keeps whispering to my heart, "Be content." There will always be something I can chase after and on black Friday great deals are at the top of the list but I need to stop and not be consumed by the temptation to buy. I can choose to be content. I wrote this on my Facebook post this morning: "Being that today is Black Friday may we be a people that learns to be content with what we have and not constantly pursuing the next great deal that we cannot afford or that we truly don't need. Phillipians 4:11" I can choose to be content. I can choose not to fall for the temptation to buy.