Is It On The List?

After months of being at home, I am still adjusting to work again.  Before quarantine, I was accustomed to my schedule.  There was a place for everything, and everything had a place.  My weekend was packed full of activity.  I tried to prioritize, but I neglected one very important task.  I needed to go grocery shopping. 

I had food at home, but I didn’t have the kind of food that I like to take for my lunch.  Generally, I like to take a healthier lunch so that I can finish my workday without being groggy.  My lunch was a cold coffee drink and some plums.  Both delicious, but they definitely left me wanting more.  As soon as I left work, I headed straight to the grocery store.

Remember me talking about there being a place for everything and everything having a place?  That carries over into my grocery shopping.  I do not like to go in without a plan.  I think of the meals that I want to create for the week and write them all out.  Now, I don’t divide the groceries according to their location in the store.  Okay…I kind of do.  Don’t judge me.  I like efficiency.

I entered with my list and got to work.  Veggies and fruits were first.  After struggling with opening the bags, I dropped my fresh produce into the cart.  Ooooooh….grapes.  They were not on my list, but they sure looked tasty.  I grabbed a bag and moved on.  Oh….look at those doughnuts.  I had to pass them on my way to grab my bread for sandwiches.  One small bag of doughnuts won’t hurt.  Into the cart they went.  You’re probably sensing a theme here.  I got everything on my list, AND some extras that I did not need.  But they looked so tasty.  And, I was hungry!

After I wrestled my groceries from my car into the house, I began to unpack them.  I made a nice pile of my extras on the kitchen counter.  Ummmmm….I went way overboard.  While I was shopping, it did not seem like I was grabbing that many tasty treats.  I started out my trip to the grocery store with good intentions.  But my hunger led me astray.

This really made me think about my spiritual life, and the decisions I make.  We were created for community, so we need relationships with people.  Sometimes, I let my hunger for companionship cloud my judgment.  So, I’ll pick any old relationship.  Not as a meal.  Just a snack to satisfy me until my real meal comes.  They look good.  They seem like alright people.

Unfortunately, the tasty treats I’ve picked up along the way have weighed my bags down.  I struggle to pick up the bags and bring them into the house.  And when I do through the bags to put everything in their appropriate place, I find a stack of relationships that should never have made it into my house.  There is no room or space for them.

Hmmmm…surely I’m not the only one who has gone shopping while they are hungry.  I can’t be.  Thank God for grace, and the opportunity to learn from our mistakes.  Before I invest in relationships, I need to be sure that I am full.  Full of wisdom.  Full of God’s word.  And fully aware of my worth.  I better eat up.  #wepreach