How nice if...

How nice if i can shop anytime i want to, without having to worry about money and time... How nice if i can purchase what i set my eyes on, without pangs of guilt and hesitance... How nice if i have a family car, to travel with ease, convenience and luxury... How nice if i have a house of my desire, big enough to invite friends and hold parties...

How nice if i can drink a cup of aromatic coffee without having to debate within myself whether starbucks or 3 in 1 is the "preferred" choice... How nice if i can laze in a cozy cafe curled up with a book and my favorite mocha on a quiet morning; nicer still with rain pattering the windows... How nice.....

I am but human and have these dreams and yearnings every now and then. if i look closely enough at those wishes, it seems to boil down to an important ingredient. yes, the M word, money. i will be going part time soon. do not be mistaken. it is a deliberate choice and i have no regrets. no regrets does not equal no worries. already my husband and i sometimes struggle with a full-time pay, what more a part time paycheck. the nice stuff written above will remain dreams...

but as i think deeper about the wants, i clearly know that these are not the things that will bring me satisfaction in life. how well many of us know the feeling of elusive pleasure. one moment we are beaming because we bought something that caught our eyes. the next moment the delight we felt disappears, leaving us with the dull aching and longing for eternal satisfaction.

the Lord has also been teaching me about the dangers of riches. from first hand experience, i had nearly lost my focus in life because i had set my sight on the "nice things" of life. very subtle attack. but i knew. i knew my vision has shifted and i knew that God brought me back on track. having what we perceive as "not enough" is very good at times, especially when it brings our view to the Provider and Ultimate satisfaction. not that i am advocating discontent. on the contrary, it is strength and wisdom to be content with whatever lot befalls us. this because we know we have much huger riches, the wealth of the soul. what is the wealth of the soul? that which is the relationship with the One who holds the key to all wealth.

How nice if we all know this wealth....