NEED to WANT less

Blurry eyed and feeling my way to the kitchen I thought to myself, "I need coffee!" Again I am reminded of the power of words. It struck me that I could possibly improve on myself by distinguishing between my needs and wants. I so freely use the word "need." I need new salt and pepper shakers, I need a new hair style, I need creamer for the needed coffee, I need chocolate and pizza and french fries! And then I'm depressed when it is out of my means to fill these so called needs. I sometimes easily forget how grateful I should be that my true needs are readily met.


As a parent I regularly look to God for inspiration and advice.  I try to model myself as a parent the way that God "parents" me as my Father. I find that the less I want and the more I appreciate the more God provides. I try hard not to spoil my children with their frivolous wants unless I see that they have learned to appreciate the things I have already provided for them. I hold somewhat high expectations on my children in regards to this partly because I want to teach them to be better than I am and partly because I can not afford financially to satisfy many of their wants. Don't get me wrong - my children are plenty spoiled - they are not lacking in any of their true needs and they have more toys than some day-cares. But I try anyway to teach them to be thankful for these blessings and to resist the urge to want more and more. Not an easy task when to them it seems that their friends get the newest and greatest things daily. So how do I achieve this in a world where we justify our many wants by labeling them needs? I am not innocent of this. I encourage my children to want less and appreciate more, all while I am spelling out my wants as needs as if that is somehow better.

By just realizing and making an effort to correct my wording could I change my perspective? Realizing that wants come after needs are met and after financial, health and family necessities are met could make decision making an easier process and help me meet my goals. Not that I shouldn't have the things I want. After all there is more to life than just mere survival but setting real priorities could help all areas of my life...


Health - the food and activity that is needed to make my body healthy should always be my first choice.
Money - the spending that keeps our basic needs met should come first.
Family - this includes the health and money aspects and also...hygiene, education, time together, memory making and much more.

I see where making an effort to truly recognize the difference between my needs and wants and to fill my needs within my means will allow time and possibly even money for fulfilling my wants. More than anything correcting my wording will teach me to appreciate that my needs are met and that not having my wants met immediately isn't something to get sad or frustrated about. Modeling this thinking and behavior will do more to teach my children than any other efforts I have made in the past.

That said, I still feel the need for coffee, let's be realistic here, but the salt and pepper shakers really can wait!