Tempted by the Right; Challenged by the Left

"So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left." Deuteronomy 5:32

Since I lasted visited with you, I've been tempted so many times to abandon this down-sizing and just be normal. It is no easy task to swim against the stream of society's expectations. I'll be swimming along fine, minding my own business, when I catch a glimpse to the right of a lovely home that we could afford and I say to myself, "why not?" And then to the left of me is that clean, new car that I so desperately want to cart my kids around in. And I hear strangers say things like 'why would you ever do that?' My head swings from side to side with the crazy lures of Americana.

And then I look forward, I see my husband moving with confidence and resolution toward our future and I see God. I see His hand all over our voluntary shedding of stuff. I see His mercy on us as we part with 'things' we sought after without abandon. I see. I see. And although I shed a few tears, they ultimately are tears of cleansing, of change and of amazing hope. I see the God I love.