Thou Shalt Not Want Cool Stuff

In my vast repertoire of personal sins I can proudly state that covetousness is not a reoccurring transgression. I am mostly a content person who is rarely desirous for earthy treasures. If I see something I like I will buy it, therefore avoiding lingering wants and causing unhealthy distractions. If I can't afford it, I can usually make do with some modge podge and a some sturdy Masonite boards from Lowes.

But not today. Today was spent entertaining thoughts of a new house, book shelves, couches, bedding and artwork. I offered my soul to online shopping and filled virtual shopping baskets with wishful thinking.

As I ate lunch I studied my collection of paint chips, fantasizing about colors and matching textiles. My stash of design magazines resurfaced and I obsessed about playing with black-and-white patterns and poppy color. I even concentrated on house plants for a couple minutes. House plants. I wanted house plants with such urgency it was palpable.

The more I stewed the more sick I felt until I finally decided that my covetousness was making my pregnancy nausea worse. (Should you never have to contend with both covetousness and nausea in a single afternoon consider yourself fatefully blessed.) The only thing left to do was abandoned all day dreaming, or in otherwords become unconscious.

So I tried not to think about the Ikea entertainment center as I tried to take a nap.

And I tried not to think about the fluffy-white comforter from The Company Store as I tried again to take a nap.

Then I tried not to think about the green blankie with the orange birds for The Chief that Chup said was "too 'spensive" as I genuinely tried to take a nap.

Exhaustively I tried not to think about the awesome marmoleum floors that Azucar linked me to last week (oh the patterns!) as I really, really, really TRIED TO TAKE A NAP.

As a last ditch effort I opened my ol' scripts. After all, every Primary teacher I ever had testified that reading the word of God was a safe distraction from temptation. My Book of Mormon fell open to the part in 2nd Nephi where Nephi lets Jacob take the prophetic reigns for a stint. "Help me Jacob." I plead as I started to read.

His answer came in a friendly-but-boldly reminder:

" . . . Remember, to be carnally-minded is death and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal."

Ah yes.

Why waste one afternoon spoiling my soul with the carnal quilts of Anthropolgie? Or the lusty calls of the Target.com aisles? Seriously, have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need? Have I cheered up the sad, or made others feel glad? (Let me finish . . .) If not I have failed indeed.

But don't you think that life eternal is having well-designed, gorgeously-colored possessions?

(Otherwise why am I striving to be so righteously good?)


Anyway, I am tagging Nie, Azucar, Egloria and ~J. For what, I don't know. It's just that everyone else is doing it and I hate to be left out.