In Comfortable Circumstances

Last night I was reading a document about simplicity (the Faith and Practice of the Southeastern Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends [Quakers]) and there was a section about Right Sharing. One of the sentences said: "Friends in comfortable circumstances need to find practical expression of the testimony of simplicity in their earning and spending."

My eyes whizzed over that line with my passing thought of, "Doesn't pertain to us, we're not in comfortable circumstances...," and then I stopped myself. What?! We're not in comfortable circumstances?! The truth is, we have had to watch our spending for so long that we have assumed we don't have (much) money to give. We have given many material goods and volunteered time, but we tend to gloss over financial helping. It is true that we need to build up a nest egg, especially with young children. It is true that we have debts to pay down. It is true that I watch every dollar being spent at the grocery store each week.

But the other night, reading in bed, I was thinking just how comfortable I really was. I have a car with working air conditioning that I can jump in with the kids anytime I want to go somewhere. We even have enough money to fill it up with gas on any day of the month. Erik and I have a very comfortable, large bed with a very comfortable pillow top. Our home looks pleasant and functions well as a shelter. No one is ever truly hungry in this house (although they may sometimes have to satisfy their hunger with Ramen noodles or peanut butter and jelly, but not often). I have every implement that I need to easily clean the house and cook meals. We have a working washer and dryer next to the house, a beautiful fenced-in backyard with a garden, two sheds, and a playset for the kids. We have many books that are special to us. I own everything I would need to teach my children the basics for at least a few years (if you count in the use of our local library). We have a large TV and cable, a stereo and many CDs, wonderful board games, seating for about nine people in our living area and for seven more in our screened-in back porch. Comfortable, mended clothing hangs in each of our closets. I don't even want to start on the abundance of toys that my children have.

This is comfort! If ever a family was comfortable, we are! We don't have to wait at the bus stop to go somewhere. We don't have to go to a laundromat every time we need clean clothes. We don't have to get to a park in order for the kids to play on outdoor equipment. We don't have to get to the library or a store to entertain ourselves with games, books, music, or movies.

So I need to re-read that passage about "Friends in comfortable circumstances" and take it to heart. I am no longer a have-not. Right here and now, I have what I need physically and emotionally.

The reason I put such a rant on the kids' blog is that it is very important to me that they understand everything that they have to be grateful for, and that they feel gratitude. This is why I felt so bad about getting Xander that preschool laptop. It's not bad for him to have it, it's great--but I don't ever want him to believe that he needs anything else in life to be happy.