Shopping

Today, my roomie, Sarah and I went shopping in the market. There are no shopping centers in Sihanoukville, so we shop at Psar Leu a.k.a "Big Market". And then we went for massages.

For most of the developed world, shopping is a weekly or even daily occurrence. Magazines, T.V., advertisements, everything tells you that you need more. Something newer, better and nicer. We all get sucked into wanting more. And you feel temporarily good for a moment before you realize you spent a whole lot of money on something you already have. It's an uneasy feeling - like you've eaten a bit too much and now you're a bit overweight. Maybe you feel like that sometimes. Maybe it's just me.

But back to going shopping. This time, it was quite a delight for a different reason. You see, we don't get to do this often. One, because of money and ,two, because we just don't have a lot of time most weeks/we're too tired to go out and just prefer to sleep. However, this week, after many long, hard days of work, we did it! It's been a couple months. And I realized one thing so, so special. Having half a a day off (we still worked on Saturday morning) "splurging" and being decedent was so much sweeter because it was saved and savoured. And because we are SO BLESSED to be able to do it. I am by no means an endorser of  commercialism and materialism. Nor am I romanticizing my own situation by turning a blind eye to the living situations of many Cambodians around me. Poverty is a constant reminder not only of the suffering in this world but of the many blessings God has given us - by us I mean me and those who get to read this blog in the comfort of our homes where we have internet and perhaps a laptop or another nifty gadget of some sort. Today, going shopping, relaxing and taking an afternoon off was almost like an act of thanksgiving and an act of faith knowing that He will provide my next meal and for all my expenses. Not everyone gets to go shopping. Majority of Cambodians don't  have the luxury of going shopping even to spend $12 on clothes (which I did, by the way, on a jacket and blouse).

Wow, a simple act of shopping - powerful blessing. It reminds me that God not only provides for my needs but for my heart's desires.

Take delight in the LORD,
   and He will give you the desires of your heart. 

Psalm 37:4