Define need...

If you have been around me much lately, you have heard me make statements such as: "I need to go to the grocery store"; "I need to get my list together for cooking for the holidays"; "I need to finish up my Christmas shopping"; "I need to wrap presents"; "I need to clean house (which I say A LOT)"; and I even told Micah a few days before Christmas: "I need to get Tatum a few more things, Walker has a lot more than she does." So you see the common factor in all of these statements is the word "need". "Need" is defined as "to be needful or NECESSARY".

Now that the Christmas and New Year festivities are over, I have been reflecting back over the past few weeks and am tremendously thankful for the blessings the Lord has seen fit to give us. However, I have been pondering the difference in my needs and my wants, even if those wants aren't for me but what I want for others. You see, I didn't necessarily want (or need) anything for Christmas but I love to get gifts for others, which I honestly do not feel like is a bad thing. I NEEDED to get all these people on my Christmas list the perfect gift...from my Dad's dog (I forgot to get it but she WAS on my list) to teachers to parents and grandparents who tell us every year not to get them anything (they better be careful, one year I am going to listen).

Then, we spent a night at Arkansas Children's Hospital with Tatum. She had a very minor surgery and did very well, but I was ashamed and embarassed of what my focus has been on these past 6 weeks or so. Now, I know the TRUE meaning of Christmas and we teach our children the real reason for Christmas but somewhere along the way, festivities, eating, gathering with family, presents, and fun became very imporatant also. Suddenly everything that I NEEDED the past few weeks seemed so ridiculous. The meaning of need slapped me in the face and I believe with everything in me that the only NEED we have is Jesus. After Him, love, family, friendship, prayer, kindness, and food and shelter enough to sustain life seemed the only important things. We NEED to tell others about Jesus. We NEED to love, even those that we do not want to love. We NEED our families and we NEED to work on our relationships with family. We NEED friends that we love and that love us. We NEED to pray for ourselves and others. We NEED to show kindness to those less fortunate than us and those in times of trials (you never know when you will need someone to show kindness to you)! We NEED a cure for cancer and other terrible diseases. We don't NEED more Squinkies because they were on sale and Walker would like them and he didn't get to come with us to Little Rock. (He probably didn't need that new Angry Birds shirt but it was cute and he loved it, so I am not ready to admit that one yet. And while, I am admitting this publicly Tatum didn't need those so cute pink sparkly TOMS but they were on sale 1/2 price!!) We don't NEED to make sure both kids have the same amount of toys (just FYI, I think Tatum probably ended up with more and neither one noticed).

 Then I think of those less fortunate, domestic and abroad and remind myself that I have no idea what it is to need. I am not apologizing for the blessings the Lord has given us; nor do I think having material possessions is a bad thing. He has blessed our family "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." But I do think that from time to time, we all need a reminder of the definition of a NEED. I can honestly say, that thanks be to God I don't really know what it is like to NEED. I have what I need, now I need to be thankful. (And I do NEED to clean my house; that's a standing need around here!)

Define Need...

Did I leave some true NEEDS off my list? Please share!! Have a great week everyone and I urge you to reflect on what you have that you do not NEED and thank Him from whom all blessings flow!