For those of you who have not seen me in the past few weeks since I’ve been home, I wanted to give you insight on my “re-entry”.
People have been asking me a wide variety of questions after they give me a big hug (I’m loving all the love!). I share different things with different people, but the main difference I see in how I’ve integrated back into the “American lifestyle” is in realizing my needs versus my wants.
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My sister and I ventured to Target right when I got home so I could grab a hard drive and new set of chargers for my electronics (they all died towards the end of the Race).
When I walked near the clothing section I almost didn’t even look. I knew I would be tempted to buy a cropped tank top or check out the latest bikini style. Well by golly I did it anyway. With a sigh, I looked at the colorful array of tank tops and bathing suit cover-ups and grabbed one of each.
After finding all the items I actually needed, we checked out and left.
I got home to unpack my shopping bag and tried back on the two articles of clothing. They were decently cute on me, but the price tag was what caught my attention.
$36 total.
That can’t be right. That’s too much. Did they up their prices?
I realized that I wasn’t really irritated with Target. I was irritated with myself.
I whipped out the receipt and put the two items in my car so I could return them. After a few days of staring at them in my passenger seat, I went and got my $36 back. It felt SO dadgum good to get $36 returned on my debit card.
I haven’t been shopping since. I haven’t purchased one article of clothing in the 24 days that I’ve been home. It seems normal, but I know how much I wanted to buy a new outfit in America while I was in 11 different countries. I spent 11 months wishing I were back in my closet with endless options to choose from.
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I am used to living out of packing cubes tucked tightly in my 65-liter backpack. I am used to hand washing the same shirts over and over hoping they won’t stretch anymore. Now that I have access to a dryer, lots of clothes, and a big closet to store everything in, I know I want to make a perspective shift.
I’ve decided I will not fill any closets from here on out with stuff. I will not desperately try and keep up with the latest fads in local boutiques. I will treat myself for certain occasions (like my best friend, Kristie’s bridesmaid weekend at the beach), but I won’t go back to how I used to be.
I don’t want to walk into a store, barely look at the prices and grab all the things that catch my eye. Most all the dresses I own have only been worn a handful of times. I used to not like being seen in the same dress within the same month.
I find that silly now because clothes are needed, but not in excess. No one probably even notices how many times I wear my favorite coral dress.
Why should I?
Matthew 6 (v. 19-21) explains the reasoning behind why I will not need any more clothing hangers in my closet.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroys and where thieves no not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
You won't be taking your favorite summer dresses or favorite pair of Nike tennis shoes into Heaven. So, today I pray that you will start laying up the treasures that will go with you into the Kingdom.
These priceless treasures are the necessities, and God wants those.
