My Name is Maggie and I am...

...a shopaholic. This afternoon the kids and I went to Tanger Outlets while Joseph finished up a job in pendergrass. Before Joseph and I drove off he said "you have a little spending money in your account." Boy was I excited. It's been a while since I've gone shopping, well technically not even a day...if you count my Pandora charm, oh and cell phone cover, and some shopping at Wal-mart, for the kids of course. Anyways you get my drift. As I rented a double stroller from the outlet center I was excited to think I would finally buy the tote with my last name initial I've been wanting. Ok if you know me, I have tons of bags, well thousands as Joseph says, but I think he's exaggerating. I still find a new reason or new need to buy a new bag. You girls know what I'm talking about. This bag will be great for this and that bag will be great for that. This time, I decided my new tote would be put to good use by putting my church stuff in it on Sunday mornings. Oh and let me not mention that I just bought a new bible cover that kind of serves my purpose a couple of weeks ago...hmmmm. Anyways, I went into the new store Lucy Lou's, so cute by the way, we walked by a perfect little bag for Mary Elisabeth. I couldn't resist so I grabbed it! It was on sale for $15 and I thought it was a good buy. I picked up my tote, and bought the some silly bands. What is up with silly bands anyways? My kids are 2 and 3 and are all about them! Not to mention they are not cheap! Since they were being so good, I let them each pick out a pack. We left the store and went to Carter's because I wanted to buy Mary Elisabeth a new swim suit, since her current one fits a little snug. While I was in there I went ahead and bought one for Josiah, thinking, if she gets one he should too. Now of course not thinking of the other 3 swimsuits he has at the house, I picked one up and headed to the register. All of a sudden my nose picked up on the fact that Sissy "made a stinky." So stinky it was on her clothes....oh me I thought, I don't have a change of clothes. Why I don't carry a change of clothes for a 3 and almost 2 year old beats me, but I can assure you I will start carrying a set from now on. I picked up an outfit and went to the register. We made a mad dash to the bathroom and "took care of business." You are probably wondering what in the world is she talking about...stay with me I promise I have a point.

I went to Crocs and bought sissy some shoes, we bought her some a couple of weeks ago, but she lost one of them. I just hope it doesn't "reappear" after I've bought her a new pair. I also bought some of those cute buttons you can put in the Crocs. Of course two for sissy and two for Josiah. To end our trip, since the kids were so good for me, we went to Toys R' Us and picked up a toy for each of them. Even though I bought them silly bands, bathing suits, Crocs, buttons for their Crocs, or whatever they're called. Wow I didn't realize it until now, but really, there wasn't a need for almost anything I bought. When I look back I think all I truly needed were sissy's Crocs and her bathing suit. I probably could have done without the Crocs too.

I truly had not added my totals together, maybe I didn't want to. When Joseph got home he checked our account and I immediately said "Please don't be mad, I didn't spend that much." Well, uh, yeah when he saw the total of my purchases he went crazy. Do I blame him? No, when he told me the total I couldn't believe I managed to spend that in one afternoon, not even a whole afternoon. Maybe a couple of hours! As he talked and told me I needed to take mine and sissy's bag back, (so sad) I sat on the couch feeling horrible. How did I manage to spend over $100 in a couple of hours. Now that may not seem like a big deal to a lot of you, but Joseph being self-employed and me...well a government furloughed employee, our pennies are a big deal.

I kept on thinking on how many people, including me spend money just to spend it. All of a sudden I missed my days as a stay at home mom, living on a tight budget and living the simple life. Although there were weeks where we would stretch a dollar until the next paycheck, there was something about living simple that felt so rewarding. Maybe because my trust in the Lord was so much stronger. I trusted in Him to get us by everyday. I kept remembering what Joseph said a couple of days ago, "Why is it that we trust God more when we have less and trust him less when we have more?"

There are so many people who are living paycheck to paycheck, I was one of them and in hard times I still am. Now I'm not saying shopping is bad, but I guess that's when moderation comes in. Why do I need a new outfit for church every single Sunday? Why do I need shoes to match my outfit when I have enough at home? Why do my kids need a new outfit every single Sunday? What is that teaching them? Are we more concerned about making our outside look good than making sure our hearts are right with God? Am I more concerned with the daily fashion trends than picking up my bible daily and reading about what God wants me to do with my life?

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you."" Hebrews 13:5

Being content is so hard, especially with all of the "new fashion trends, pocketbooks, shoes...etc," but we know that living a Godly life is not easy. Saying no to those really cute shoes or that stylin' new dress is just too hard! What will I wear??? As Joseph says "pick something out of your closet!" Now there's a concept! HA!

I heard something on the radio not too long ago. It was a guy promoting a new bible study (I think) on being content with our lives. He said that when we are not content and start comparing ourselves with other people we become envious. It blinds us from the ability to see God's blessings in our own lives when we are too busy watching everyone else's. I never thought about it that way, but I it's true. God has given my family and I so much, more than we deserve, but when I start comparing myself to others I loose sight of His blessings in my life. At the end of Hebrews 13:5 comes the best part! We must be content with what we have because God will never leave us or forsake us! Our young bodies, that we work so hard, sometimes too hard, to look good and acceptable to our society, will one day get wrinkly and old. Our clothes and shoes will become old and ragged, new cars will become old, our televisions will need to be replaced...etc, but God will still be with us! He will never go away, He will always be there. That is more important than the latest fashion trends or super cutes shoes and purses!

So for the next few weeks, with the Lord's help, I'm going to practice being content with what I have. No new clothes, shoes, purses, etc. I'll only buy what I need and not what I want. Oh this is going to be hard! Will you join me? Let's practice being happy with the blessings that the Lord gives us and not worry about what other's have that we do not.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:1-2