I have been in a thoughtful mood again lately. Looking around the house again, to see if there's anything else I need to get rid of. This is happening a lot more often and I know God wants me to go to this deeper level. Part of me is ever so ready, and the other part is fighting tooth and nail. I am fine with getting rid of stuff...it's the not buying new stuff that is making me crazy. I am going through the cutsie catalogs and seeing all this cool Christmas stuff already that i want and it is ridiculous the spiritual battle that is going on about it all. Wow, is it supposed to be this hard? I mean it's all only material stuff that breaks, fades, and gets old. I'll be tired of most of it a just a few short yrs. and I'll always find something else I like to replace it. Oh, to live a simple life...and that's where I am headed, I am pretty sure. I need to be way more frugal so we can invest in some of the major projects we want to do to the house. And then, there's the list of stuff I want...sigh....a dream list really...gymnastics mats and rings for the kids to practice with at home...bunches of plants and stuff to make our next yrs. garden really nice. Little odds and ends to finish up "the look" in the living room and kitchen. But, that's why I am very purposefully thinking these things through...over and over again and then weighing them against the more important things that we will need money for: car repairs, braces, act.'s like gymnastics, and giving more money to organizations who help ppl and for taking care of the family/friends I know of personally who are suffering financially. Anyway, I guess that's it for now...I just needed to get that out of my system, I guess. Another way, to work through this process. Let's see where this new level of spiritual challenge takes me to. As long as it's closer to the person God wants me to be, then that's where I want to be.