The Bird Feeder, My Obsession

                                               

For Mother's Day, my brother and his wife gave my mom a bird feeder. And, I really, really liked it. I wanted one. For MYself, for MY yard, for MY birds. But I didn't feel like we had the extra money to spend on a bird feeder and stealing my mother's new bird feeder wasn't an option.  So, I went for a few weeks without the bird feeder.

You know how your mind works when you want something? My mind did a lot of talking to me.  "If only I had the bird feeder I could feed the birds." "The bird feeder really doesn't cost that much, just buy it!" "It would look so nice in my yard and I would SO enjoy watching the birds!"  On and on it went. The more I thought of it, the more I wanted it. It occupied my mind, It became an obsession.

Recently, Rod and I went to Lowe's and lo and behold, there IT was. THE bird feeder. We were there for an electrical cord and we came out with the cord and THE bird feeder. And some seed.  And some light bulbs. Now, my life would be complete. I finally had MY bird feeder. When we got home, Rod drove the shepherd's hook into the ground and with great ceremony, THE bird feeder was hung onto the hook. MY bird feeder, to feed MY birds, strategically placed in MY yard so I could see it from MY swing, on MY deck. Life was good, complete.

Only, it really wasn't any better or different than before I had the Bird Feeder.  Or maybe I should say, any more complete. Just because I had finally acquired THE Bird Feeder, circumstances in my life had not changed. (Except that now the birds had more to eat.)  As I sat on the swing, gazing at MY Bird Feeder, I realized that the bird feeder didn't change any of my circumstances or life's issues. I wasn't any more content having THE bird feeder in my yard.

Life is like that. We want THINGS. And we believe that THINGS will fix what's wrong, missing or incomplete and make us happy and content. That's what the world wants us to think.  If we just had that new car, that bigger house, that perfect mate, the perfect job, nicer clothes, a pretty bird feeder etc.. We can get preoccupied with our wants. Our "wants" can become an obsession and then they become our idol. And our idols take us away from loving The Lord "will all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might". (Deut 6:5)  A dangerous thing, things are! Materialism will never satisfy. And we can never fill the empty places with things. We can't make happiness with things. Only God satisfies. Only God can fill what's missing and "complete" us. Our fulfillment can only come from our relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Our joy can only come from knowing the certainty of our future IN Christ. Our obsession should be God and God alone.

You know MY Bird Feeder?  It's lovely and the SQUIRRELS love the bird seed!!! I must say they are pretty fat, happy, and content!