The Joy of Power Rangers

So, yesterday, hubs tells me I need to go to Food City (a local chain of grocery stores) because they have some great "buy one get one free" deals. At first, I thought he was channeling his 98 yr old grandmother, because she totally does that (only she send us to make her purchases at various stores on various sale days). After I realized he was serious, he told me that Food City had ice cream on the BOGO (buy 1 - get 1 --don't you people watch Payless ads?). Anyone who knows the hubs knows that he is an ice cream connoisseur, so I threw Kaden in the car and off we went to do the east TN version of Supermarket Sweep (because we are geeks like that).

While scanning the aisles for food bargains we could never live without, we came upon the toy aisle. I would ask why in the world they put toys in grocery stores, but I know WHY they put toys in the grocery store -- so that young tired mothers will purchase said toys to keep their children from having have meltdowns in Aisle 6. Kaden didn't have a meltdown (he knows that will get him absolutely nowhere), but he did ask for a pack of 5 faux Power Rangers. We do not allow our kids to watch the Power Rangers show, but we do allow them to play with cheap imitation Power Ranger toys - go figure.

ANYHOO, Kaden asked nicely for the toys and since they were only a dollar, I told him we would buy them. The whole time we were in the store, all he could talk about was playing with his new toys. He couldn't wait to get them home so the playing could commence. When we got back to the house with our BOGO ice cream and $63.46 worth of other unhealthy and unnecessary foods, he would not leave me alone until I found those Power Ranger(ish) toys. Finally, I found the toys and opened them. He squealed with delight and ran off to the living room to do whatever it is boys do with Power Ranger figurines.

After about 15 minutes, he came back into the kitchen where I was creating a gourmet meal (hey, this is my story). He said, "Do we have any other new things to play with?" And before I gave him the raised eyebrow, evil eye, head bobbing speech about being grateful for what we have and how some kids don't even have one toy much less thousands like he does, I stopped and realized he is simply doing what he sees his mother do........


See, like Kaden, I get excited over something for a short time and then look for something better - something more exciting to bring me some joy. So many times I find my "happiness" in buying something new or going somewhere different or in someone.........It seems that my joy has a short attention span at times. Instead of finding my joy in Jesus, I look to the world for what only He can give. Often times we think that our joy is determined by our circumstances or our stuff, or our bank account or our weight or what others think of us. But a Christian's joy is not determined by anything other than our salvation or by anyone other than Jesus Christ.

Like Kaden, the things we think will make us happy, only pacify us for a short time until we begin to long for something better - at which time we say "God, do you have any more new toys we could play with?" Or even worse, "World, do you have any new toys we could play with "? In my notes this week (sorry if you are in my class, you will be hearing this again tonight), I put "I am guilty of looking for the magnificent and overlooking the mundane....I look for the miracle of parted waters while overlooking the miracle of the sun rising every morning".

Not coincidentally, my Bible study this week is all about "JOY".

So, now I'm off to go memorize Luke 10: 20 "However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

AND

Psalm 16:11 "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."


Anyone care to join me????