another duh

Ready for another one of those things-that-everyone-knows-but-that-the-Lord-is-really-moving-on-my-spirit-and-I-probably-won't-be-able-to-explain-the-depth-of-it-in-words-so-you'll-just-think-"Well duh" posts? (TTEKBTTLRMOMSAIPWBATEDOIIWSYJTWD Posts, for short.)

So simple it's profound thought: Stuff will not make you happy.

I know, I know - I'm having my business cards reprinted to read "Confucius."

Everybody, especially Spirit-filled Christians, knows this. There have even been studies done that prove it. I just read another one a couple weeks ago that this cute young lady I know in Wisconsin blogged about. 10% of our happiness, according to this one, comes from our life circumstances or situations. A large part of which is the stuff we surround ourselves with.

So I know that, but I (and I think a lot of us) still try filling my life with stuff. I didn't even realize what I was doing because it's not as though I'd have a bad day and think to myself, "I need a new sweater. If I just had a new sweater, everything would be fine." At the same time, however, if I happened to be at Target because I needed toothpaste and glass cleaner and I happened to walk by a really cute sweater that happened to be on mega-sale and I happened to grab it ... it did make a gloomy day seem a little brighter.

For a few hours.

And I know that, but Holy Spirit is moving it into that place in my heart where it becomes real and I can live by it. He's constantly reminding me, "Renting a movie is not really what you want to do tonight ... That jacket is only going to make you happy for a day - then what?" I know it's the Lord because I don't feel condemned for renting a movie with my husband or spending $1 on a silly jacket at a resale store; He's just gently reminding me, confident that I'll get it eventually.

I think I'm starting to.