'tis the season...to want a lot of stuff (MIWB)

D and I went to Home Depot last night to grab some batteries (and get out of the house for a bit.) He fell madly in love with a $40 shop vac. (That's what all 11-year-olds want for Christmas, right?) His want quickly became powerfully annoying. But he wasn't the only one displaying the symptoms.

Granted, it was late evening on Black Friday. Temptation was everywhere. Rain and high winds had postponed our somewhat annual Black Dog Friday hike in the canyon and left us restless. As we wandered the aisles, I found every type of gadget I desperately needed - tools, lights, a cheap Roku for the back room TV, a cheap action camera for the YouTube channel I have no intention of starting. I was looking around for gift ideas for others, but I kept spotting things I deeply (fleetingly) needed - so much stuff.

Ah, temptation

We left Home Depot with some batteries and a pack of super glue, but it wasn't easy. D came home and started working on his Christmas list. I came home and finally settled on washing some dishes to keep my hands busy.

But this morning in the dark before dawn, I remember there's little I need. The man I want to be craves little that you buy from a store. I crave natural beauty, shared experience with loved ones, and building useful things out of castoff junk. Most of all, I want to invest in helping us all find better health, more inherent joy (rather than fleeting happiness), hope in the future, and peace in a noisy world.

Lord, please help me to point my eyes in a better direction, to skip the gadgets, to focus on better for all.

(Any excuse for another Lubbock pelican pic)

May your eyes not be distracted from the person you strive to be. As always, thank you for reading this random little blog.