Devotion

Well, this afternoon's devotion with Lara was tricky, my friends. It basically started off with...what do you call it? Prosperity theology? The idea that if you faithfully follow God, He will provide you with all your material desires(this is not actually what the devotion said in the end). It's the Joel-Osteen-health-and-wealth gospel. So the devotion started off with something like "pray to God and he will grant your wishes. What do you wish for?" Lara is all like, "new clothes for my Barbie dolls!" and the devotion was all like, "If you follow Jesus, he will give this to you!" and I was all like, "What!?" I paused mid-sentence while Lara stared bright-eyed and excited at me. I silently read the rest and breathed a sigh of relief as I read what I actually DO believe. The devotion wasn't mindless, quite the opposite. Our wishes are not what we need to be healthy, happy, wise people. I'm mean, PEOPLE (Joel Osteen) come on! Who needs a nice house?? Who needs a nice car?? Who needs Barbie doll clothes?? Dustin and I were talking about this on the way home from church, as I said that it is in God's will to make us prosperous. Dustin was concerned until I told him that my definition of "prosperous" is a good and content life, full of love and wisdom and worship, nothing to do with material possessions. ANYway, I am becoming of the rambling sort. The devotion, and thus myself, then went on to explain to Lara that when we faithfully follow God, our hearts will yearn for what God wants for us-we will wish what God wishes. I am telling you, though, I had to dig myself out of that barbie doll clothes hole! Unfortunately, Lara was still quite excited about praying afterward: Mommy, let's pray now. I will pray with you and I can show you that I will tell God what I want. Most of the prayer was about taking a good nap and such, but she did throw some toys in there. Yikes, people.
Furthermore on that note, people, do you see how it really is? The truth is: my daughter's desire for Barbie doll clothes is no less substantial than my desire for a really cute pair of pink arm warmers that I currently have on my amazon wish list. Or a desire for a new car. Or a new wall hanging. It's all the same. In the end, it will mean nothing. Actually, as it usually goes, about 6 months after purchase when the excitement wears off, you'll realize you are the same person, not any more fulfilled. Not saying it is bad to have these things. But it is bad to think they matter.

Moral of story: when doing devotion, parents, always read silently first to have good understanding and can re-word or skip parts if necessary. ;)