As If
I was watching a little HGTV with my morning cup of coffee today—well actually a recording of the 2014 Dream House. Come to find out you can still enter the drawing until February 14. I thought I had missed the window to enter, but not so.
I am now entered, and have set alerts on my phone to remind me to enter every day. You see, the folks at HGTV are so nice they let you enter two times a day. I know. Way better than the Lottery.
Now thoughts of the dream house are consuming my mind. It’s a beauty. A contemporary, yet lodge themed house located in the mountains of Northern Nevada in a community called Schaffer’s Mill. Doesn’t that sound quaint and dreamy and Norman Rockwell-ish? And the house comes fully furnished, indoor and out, with three outdoor barbecues, a media room, and top-of-the-line appliances.
I’ve pretty much moved in.
I even asked Matt if we would move there if I win. Clearly he’s sipping the same punch as I am because he told me that we could live in Schaffer’s Mill half the year and Parker the other half. Or use it as a mountain house that’s roughly sixteen hours away by car. Well, a new car that is, because that’s part of the giveaway too.
This actually eased my mind.
So, here’s the thing. I love my house. I love Parker, Colorado. I love so many things about my life, and yet, in a matter of 30 minutes this morning, I became dissatisfied with everything.
That’s hard to admit. But I don’t think I’m alone.
I heard a quote from my pastor recently, “Rich people are plagued by discontentment.”
Think about it. We are rich. You and me. We are. Compared to the rest of the world. We are rich. We may not feel like it because of that little thing called comparison. But the truth is—we are rich.
The reason we don’t embrace our richness is because of our discontentment. The distorted view that if we acquire more stuff we will find true happiness.
As if.
As if we don’t have a Provider.
As if we are placing our hope in provisions and not the Provider.
Oh Lord, forgive me. Let my eyes and thoughts continually be fixed on you.
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17”
Here’s the thing. The HGTV Dream Home Giveaway is not the problem. My entering the contest is not the problem. If, by some odd turn of events, I win, that’s not the problem either.
The problem is tucked deep into the recesses of my mind and soul—the place where my hope rests.
Where is your hope, Krista? And has your hope migrated away from God?
And those are the questions I’ll be chewing on before I submit my entry tomorrow…If I submit an entry… As if I don’t have enough already.
**excerpts of this post are from my personal notes taken during a sermon titled, How to be Rich, 1/5/2014**
Oh my goodness. I can’t tell you how close to home this has hit for me. I used to enter those HGTV Dream Home things all the time. I did the same thing as you did. I went as far as figuring out what schools would be close to our new home that wasn’t even ours yet, but I just knew would be. I was putting my faith, my hope and my trust in something and someone other than He who should be. I gave up entering lotteries, sweepstakes, contests, etc… awhile ago. Well, with the exception of the monthly drawing from my children’s pediatrician. Those are usually for zoo passes, or dinner out for a night….nothing life changing, or too disappointing if I don’t win. I have even been wondering if Pinterest is a lot like the same situation. It’s pinning a bunch of stuff that you want. Well, not all of it, but most of it is. I definitely need to work on contentment and gratitude. Thank you for this post and topic, it was very well received.
Thank you Susan! I appreciate what you shared. 🙂