In my vast repertoire of personal sins I can proudly state that covetousness is not a reoccurring transgression. I am mostly a content person who is rarely desirous for earthy treasures. If I see something I like I will buy it, therefore avoiding lingering wants and causing unhealthy distractions. If I can't afford it, I can usually make do with some modge podge and a some sturdy Masonite boards from Lowes.But not today. Today was spent entertaining thoughts of a new house, book shelves, couches, bedding and artwork. I offered my soul to online shopping and filled virtual shopping baskets with wishful thinking.
As I ate lunch I studied my collection of paint chips, fantasizing about colors and matching textiles. My stash of design magazines resurfaced and I obsessed about playing with black-and-white patterns and poppy color. I even concentrated on house plants for a couple minutes. House plants. I wanted house plants with such urgency it was palpable.
The more I stewed the more sick I felt until I finally decided that my covetousness was making my pregnancy nausea worse. (Should you never have to contend with both covetousness and nausea in a single afternoon consider yourself fatefully blessed.) The only thing left to do was abandoned all day dreaming, or in otherwords become unconscious.
So I tried not to think about the Ikea entertainment center as I tried to take a nap.
And I tried not to think about the fluffy-white comforter from The Company Store as I tried again to take a nap.
Then I tried not to think about the green blankie with the orange birds for The Chief that Chup said was "too 'spensive" as I genuinely tried to take a nap.
Exhaustively I tried not to think about the awesome marmoleum floors that Azucar linked me to last week (oh the patterns!) as I really, really, really TRIED TO TAKE A NAP.
As a last ditch effort I opened my ol' scripts. After all, every Primary teacher I ever had testified that reading the word of God was a safe distraction from temptation. My Book of Mormon fell open to the part in 2nd Nephi where Nephi lets Jacob take the prophetic reigns for a stint. "Help me Jacob." I plead as I started to read.
His answer came in a friendly-but-boldly reminder:
" . . . Remember, to be carnally-minded is death and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal."
Ah yes.
Why waste one afternoon spoiling my soul with the carnal quilts of Anthropolgie? Or the lusty calls of the Target.com aisles? Seriously, have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need? Have I cheered up the sad, or made others feel glad? (Let me finish . . .) If not I have failed indeed.
But don't you think that life eternal is having well-designed, gorgeously-colored possessions?
(Otherwise why am I striving to be so righteously good?)
Anyway, I am tagging Nie, Azucar, Egloria and ~J. For what, I don't know. It's just that everyone else is doing it and I hate to be left out.
23 Pieces of Opinion:
*drools*
Those marmoleum floors!
Must now go read my scriptures and take a cold shower.
I can TOTALLY relate. My day dreams and my night dreams are filled with images of my new home. (We found THE perfect home for us in Grandview. Hopefully it will still be available in the summer!) This is definitely a test of my patience!
I love those floors!
All I covet currently is sleep and a good pedicure. Since technically those are not possessions (although if I don't get more sleep I might become a bit possessed) I'm OK, right?
p.s.--too chicken. Sounds like you may be coming to my hood. Do I know you? Maybe I will this summer. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, whoever you are.
(timestamp 3:56:41 a.m.)
Thanks for that. I drove to Anthropologie yesterday just to be there. Sometimes that's enough for me and it satisfies my needs. Sometimes it isn't. Lucky for the pocketbook, yesterday it was a free trip.
You do have such cute taste in baby things for the Chief. I know I've told you before but this store has such cute (handmade) items I think you would love! Good luck to you!! You seem like you are going to be a great mommy.
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5379852
Mary
Hey c jane-
I am so guilty of what you suggest, I too am reading the BoM again, and Mosiah's statement about putting off the natural man (woman in our case) cut like a knife. BIG TIME!
Shopping is my friend. I heart it very much. I take pride (oops BoM again!) in being fabulous, and enjoyed having one of my CTR 6 girls note my black leather skirt in Primary on Sunday (Black Leather on Sunday? OH MY! OH YES!)
I struggle to slough off the natural LJ.....all of the time. You are not alone!
p.s. LOVE THE ANTHRO BLANKIE!
Funny, funny, oh too funny! I swear to you this day that I had the same day yesterday. Replace baby naseua with head cold, and Ikea entertainment center with new wall oven. Double oven, or single with convienent microwave above? How will I paint my children's new wall art? (budget) Oh the insanity! Good luck to us all!
Yes CJane! Isn't it tiresome to have the love of order and beauty inherently within us, and then at the same time try and not be materialistic and be content with less than perfect surroundings! Give us an update on your house hunt. Did you make an offer?
When I read your post below about doing hard things--I almost commented that not buying things is hard for me but decided not to because it paled in comparason to the "real" hard things people are doing. I come from a long line of shoppers and I love buying cute things, especially for my kids. I've never thought of going to the scriptures to help me--I only concentrate on how to hide my purchases from my hubby.
Tagged to, uh, throw you a Marie-Antoinette-esque baby shower? You got it, girl.
let them eat cake!
This made me laugh because I get caught up sometimes, too. It's so funny that you wrote this, because I just read this post on Feminist Mormon Housewives on the same subject but the reverse side (http://www.feministmormonhousewives.org/). I've been thinking about my "stuff" recently and my never-ending quest for MORE stuff! I seem to always have the itch to acquire cute, clever, beautiful, useful, thrifty, or classic things. Aaah!
ok sister,
that blanket will be made for you (by me) and just so you know that fabric is what is covering my pillows in my living room. sooo cool.
YESSSS!!!!
And how weird is that? Have I never seen your pillows?
The Secret.
It works.
I tell you what.
i so needed to hear this.
as a poor college student, covetousness has become my favorite sin.
Amen to The Secret! :)
Why do you think I sew? So that I FEEL like I save money on things I want, plus most of the time I never make it and the want/need dissipates! But, seriously, babies need blankets!
I just happened upon your blog...I can't even begin to tell you how I got here, but read only the first sentence of this post and knew we shared a common sisterhood. I just knew that YW, EFY, CTR, RS, FHE and yes BofM were part of a language we speak. That and the fact that I too, "have a vast repertoire...." and "if I see something I like I will buy it". I'm right there with you on your concept of eternal life and am quite certain beautiful colors are part of the deal. Why else, pray tell, would the streets be paved in gold?
You made me feel glad today -
thanks.
Reading today's post made me feel so much better about my similar "issues". I too have had a night or two of insomnia as I pondered paint colors, kitchen lay-outs and nursery decor . . .
I often imagine what sort of impact I could have on the world if I put the same amount of thought into serving others . . .
And hooray for sisters who are talented and generous!
Can you recommend a scripture reference for:
1 - being terrified to teach apathetic teenagers about Isaiah on Sunday
or
2 - feeling overwhelmed by quarreling children, a messy house, and the seemingly insurmountable task of scheduling a daily shower?
The blanket is pretty darn cute.
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