"Oh no! I don't believe it...it can't be"

Indeed that was how I felt and what I said to myself on the eve of the day I had finally convinced myself to go shopping. Earlier in that week, I went online to get an idea of what I wanted from that store especially as I had heard that they had a very nice brand. I then saw that they were having a "good sale" - you'll agree it was a good one too when you get some more details...otherwise I won't be talking about it. You may also know from experience that not every "sale" is a good one.

Before we too far, let me remind you that shopping is not my thing...it just doesn't excite me. Some of you may remember this posting from last year, If you don't remember it or didn't have the opportunity to read it, you're blessed - you just got a second opportunity to read it before we go on:

 http://sapphire-and-beryl.blogspot.com/2009/11/spiritual-lessons-from-shopping.html 

To put this in perspective, I stumbled on the sale by chance. I felt like "looking around" - then remembered that I'd said I'll check this store out when next I had the opportunity to. So rather than go on a "wild-shopping-chase," I decided to see what they had to offer before going to their stores - didn't even know where their stores where so still needed to go online to their store locator anyway.

In my "shopping-feet-dragging" mode, I kept putting off a visit to their stores. Then when I finally decided that "tomorrow would be the day" - I checked online to take down the product codes of the items I was interested in and there was only one option left!!! What??!!! How???!!! Why??!!! "Oh no! I don't believe it...it can't be - it just can't!"

People who know me, know that the higher the percentage off, the better...this store was offering between 50 - 80% off on the items I was interested in...see what I meant by a good sale? Now, that is not to say that every 80% off sale is a good deal - it all depends on what the 100% was. There are some 90% sales that I won't even bat my eyelids at. Well, this was one sale I was not just batting eyelids at, I was almost waving my wallet at it too. That's when I had to talk to myself...the sales was so good that one could easily make a mess of things. As we know, too much of a "good thing" can turn out to be a bad thing and I sure wasn't going to go dow that path - it was not worth it in the least.

Such situations help you appreciate why God inspired auto makers to include brakes and reverse gear in the cars. I then had to step on my contentment brakes and then proceeded to test if my "discipline" gear was active. To God be the glory it engaged well, so well that I was able to visit the store a couple of times more and leave without buying anything.

What I found most interesting in this experience was that the week I left that city, the sale was over...so was that a test? Well, some things I've always known and tried to live by were reinforced:

• God orders the steps of His children to things they need - that's one way He supplies our need according to His riches in glory
• It is not everything that you want or can afford that you need or should obtain
• There will always be "Sales" - God will lead you to the one for you
• Life is too short to spend it shopping - think up ways to spend your time so you can impact other people's lives for good - we must redeem the times; know and do God's will