Shopping And Praying

So I'm just going to say this up front. You are either going to totally get this post OR you are going to totally think I'm nuts.

I pray about shopping.

I do. Because I believe that God cares about how I spend the money He's given us, but even more so, I believe He also cares about the little things that are important to me.

Sometimes I pray before I shop. Like the time I needed to find the white blouse and black skirt that was required for my daughter's Spring band concert and was also age-appropriate. And I had already looked everywhere I could think of within a 10-mile radius. I prayed a lot about that one.

Many times I pray while I shop. And sometimes God provides what I think I need. Like a silly owl lamp.

Yep, sometimes God says, "You're right, Jill. That little owl lamp will make you and your family smile a lot. Here, let me lower the price for you!"

And other days....He shuts me down.

Like today.

You see, I had a plan. I really wanted to make a couple pumpkin topiaries for my porch. You know, those cute topiaries made out of fake pumpkins that are all over Pinterest and about 90% of the home blogs out there. Yea, those. The ones the really cool kids are making.

But I had to make them on the cheap and here's where my plan comes in. I was going to start at the Dollar Tree and find some really awesome fake pumpkins....that were a dollar. Yea, right. I found two rather small fake pumpkins that we're not so awesome. No problem. I moved onto the second step of my plan....WalMart.

At WalMart, I planned to find larger and more attractive fake pumpkins....plus two plastic urn-type planters that were totally marked down on Summer clearance. Because you know there's still all that great Summer clearance stuff out there. Right.

You know what they say...."the best-layed plans..." That phrase is like the story of my life.

So I found myself praying and searching every square inch of WalMart looking for what I thought I needed.

"Lord, I found this okay pumpkin and it's a little more than I wanted to spend, but if you help me find some okay urns that are really cheap, I'll know that I'm supposed to make pumpkin topiaries"

Yea, I sometimes put out fleeces for God when I'm shopping....especially when I have a plan. Sad, but true.

But as I searched the store looking for different cheap options and asking God for what I thought I needed, He asked me a couple things. No, I didn't hear God's audible voice. But I felt like I knew what He would be saying to me if He was there in the flesh shopping with me.

Why do you want to be like everyone else? Everyone else and their brother is making a pumpkin topiary.   Be different.

AND....

Why can't you be happy with what I've already given you? Like that super cheap leaf garland I helped you find last week. Why isn't that good enough?

So, I finally got the message. And I left WalMart.

But not before He helped me spot these cute, cheap-o Fall soap dispensers.

Just because He loves me.