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Saturday, September 10, 2011

Choice

 
                                                                                                                                                                             Photo by Tammy Bennett  

Today was a lesson in learning. We are all constantly learning something. I am a firm believer that the more I learn the less I truly understand. We are by nature incapable of knowing everything, and why would we really even want to? There is this little component called trust that when planted becomes rooted and grows into faith. I think it’s our job to trust, and if it is in God’s will to bless us it will become the gift of Faith. Reach out and you will be greeted with abundance everywhere you look.
Yesterday I was called to meet my husband with his work keys that he had forgotten. It was not in my plans to do so, but I went. The gas, during a no spend month is rationed. I have the odometer set to read exactly how many miles are left to drive. The further I drove- just to deliver his forgotten keys, the lower the miles dropped. “I’m wasting gas”… went through my mind.  Then I decided to let it go. Thinking,  I must have been meant to go out of my way for a reason. The acceptance of my reality, and contentment with my situation, made the ride a blessing.
Then, on the way back from the key delivery, I decided that I “deserved” to get a few things—from the Department Store. My goal was to spend from my $30 left from the week so far. I needed (wanted) some things. Besides I was already out in the car, wasted gas, so why not?  Long story short-I was proud that I’d passed by the major sales in Lawn and Garden, only putting those things in my basket that I felt were “needed items”. Those things totaled under my $30 in cash. I got to the register and discovered…..I had NO cash. Not even plastic.
Again, I learned an important lesson. I didn’t need those items after all, I simply wanted them. If this wasn’t a NO Spend Month, I already had my emergency savings built up, and my mortgage was paid, maybe I would look at things different, or maybe not.
Either way, I came home to my $30 surplus still in place. I trust it was meant to be that way.  Learning wants from needs is definitely an individual experience. I’m learning my needs are very limited. I don’t really need very much to be happy. Happiness is simply a choice, a state of mind. Circumstances are at times beyond our control, I think what we do with those circumstances is what makes all of the difference. ~
Attitude
by Charles Swindoll
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.  It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.  It will make or break a company…a church…a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.  We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude….I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.
And so it is with you….we are in charge of our attitudes.” –Charles Swindoll

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