You are the Cheapskate
"Remember, you are the cheapskate, not God," I read those words in The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron a couple days ago. It is a book I would highly recommend. I cannot stop talking about it. For a bit of context, the chapter is titled "Recovering a Sense of Abundance". You examine your views of money, explore what brings you delight, and remember that creativity is not a limited supply.
Cameron causes you to question why your decisions are always made out of sensibility and encourages you to "pamper" yourself. Or as Donna and Tom in Parks and Rec say, "Treat yo' self!". I'm beginning to see the benefit in this practice. It does not have to be some extravagant purchase. Rather, it is small "luxuries", as she calls them, that bring you joy and delight. Do you like succulents? Place them in your room and your office. Do you enjoy eating blueberries? Buy them often and include them in as many foods as you desire. Does reading bring you joy? Read everyday or buy yourself a book every week.
We often deny ourselves the small pleasures in life. And in doing so we become a cheapskate. We place money over joy. We value the number in our bank account more than our delight in life. In doing so, we limit ourselves and when we limit ourselves we will limit God.
As I wrote each day this week, I kept in mind Cameron's advice that creativity is not limited. A concept she starts in the chapter titled "Recovering a Sense of Possibility". God's creativity is an outflow of who He is. He has designed us as creative creatures. This is an attribute of Himself He allows us to reflect Him in. Therefore, there is no end of possibility and there is abundance in creativity. I believed that this week. And I saw the results of it this week.
Whenever I see a penny on the ground, I pick it up. It is a habit I started because of two friends. It's an ordinary object but I have chosen to see them as examples of God's love and provision. And He has an abundant supply of pennies lying around and He abundantly loves and provides. With the winter beginning to set in and the snow beginning to fall, I began asking Him what we might be able to use since the sidewalks will begin to be covered by snow. As I glanced down, I saw $16 on the ground! Only one girl was near. When asked if she dropped any money, she said no. That $16 is 1600 pennies! What. In. The. World. I'm usually looking for just one and here, right in front of me, was 1600. God is not the cheapskate, He loves to give abundantly. And throughout the day, I found two more pennies too.
And with that found money, I've used it in ways that bring me delight. What a gift from heaven!
And speaking of snow, in the "Abundance" chapter, she uses it as and example to God's boundless creativity. Every single snowflake is designed differently. How amazing and how creative?! Maybe, snow, like the penny, can be a reminder I use; a reminder of God's creative abundance and possibility for us as we choose to pursue creativity ourselves.
"Remember, you are the cheapskate, not God."
Cameron causes you to question why your decisions are always made out of sensibility and encourages you to "pamper" yourself. Or as Donna and Tom in Parks and Rec say, "Treat yo' self!". I'm beginning to see the benefit in this practice. It does not have to be some extravagant purchase. Rather, it is small "luxuries", as she calls them, that bring you joy and delight. Do you like succulents? Place them in your room and your office. Do you enjoy eating blueberries? Buy them often and include them in as many foods as you desire. Does reading bring you joy? Read everyday or buy yourself a book every week.
We often deny ourselves the small pleasures in life. And in doing so we become a cheapskate. We place money over joy. We value the number in our bank account more than our delight in life. In doing so, we limit ourselves and when we limit ourselves we will limit God.
As I wrote each day this week, I kept in mind Cameron's advice that creativity is not limited. A concept she starts in the chapter titled "Recovering a Sense of Possibility". God's creativity is an outflow of who He is. He has designed us as creative creatures. This is an attribute of Himself He allows us to reflect Him in. Therefore, there is no end of possibility and there is abundance in creativity. I believed that this week. And I saw the results of it this week.
Whenever I see a penny on the ground, I pick it up. It is a habit I started because of two friends. It's an ordinary object but I have chosen to see them as examples of God's love and provision. And He has an abundant supply of pennies lying around and He abundantly loves and provides. With the winter beginning to set in and the snow beginning to fall, I began asking Him what we might be able to use since the sidewalks will begin to be covered by snow. As I glanced down, I saw $16 on the ground! Only one girl was near. When asked if she dropped any money, she said no. That $16 is 1600 pennies! What. In. The. World. I'm usually looking for just one and here, right in front of me, was 1600. God is not the cheapskate, He loves to give abundantly. And throughout the day, I found two more pennies too.
And with that found money, I've used it in ways that bring me delight. What a gift from heaven!
And speaking of snow, in the "Abundance" chapter, she uses it as and example to God's boundless creativity. Every single snowflake is designed differently. How amazing and how creative?! Maybe, snow, like the penny, can be a reminder I use; a reminder of God's creative abundance and possibility for us as we choose to pursue creativity ourselves.
"Remember, you are the cheapskate, not God."
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