Welcome back for another round of Five Minute Friday — the fastest, free-est, bravest, most encouraging community on the web!
If you’re new here, imagine a whole bunch of writers from every corner of the globe giving you a big welcome and offering you a piece of chocolate while you write and read. Or maybe a brownie in a mug, as those tend to dominate these parts.
You can learn more about Five Minute Friday here. We’re so glad you’ve joined us!
Before we kick off, I wanted to let you know that a brand new round of #fmfpartysnailmail is about to begin!
Photo Credit: Kaitlyn Bouchillon
If you’ve never tried it before, you definitely WANT to get in on this action!
The gist: You sign up, receive a list of six FMF names and addresses, commit to sending one snail mail card per week for six weeks, and in return, you’ll receive one card per week in your own mailbox! So great, right?
Register HERE for #fmfpartysnailmail!
This round begins on June 20th and lasts through July 25th.The deadline to register is June 17th.
This week’s FMF prompt is:
GO.
I was in our local DVD rental store the other night, because yes, I’m old school and I’ve never had Netflix or cable. Try to set that detail aside, and stand with me for a moment in the ancient aisles of my DVD rental store, Family Video.
So I’m perusing movie titles, and a married couple in the aisle next to me has a conundrum. The wife points to a movie and says, “Oh, I really wanted to watch that one, but it’s only available on Blu-Ray.”
The husband has a quick solution, as many husbands do: “Well, we could always just run over to Best Buy and use my points to buy a new Blu-Ray player.”
If this interaction had been documented on Twitter, it would’ve merited the hashtag, #firstworldproblems.
I found myself instinctively looking at my watch. 8:40pm. Were they seriously going to rent the Blu-Ray movie of their choice, drive to Best Buy, and purchase a brand new Blu-Ray player, just so they could watch the movie they wanted to watch?
Apparently.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with shopping at Best Buy or having Best Buy points to spend — I fall into this category, on both counts.
But after hearing this couple’s interaction, I did wonder:
Does our culture’s knee-jerk reaction toward immediate gratification cause us to miss the important lesson of learning patience?
Does our ability to satisfy our wants in the moment take away the blessing of learning how to wait well?
STOP.
“But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” ~ Romans 8:25
Join us with your own five minute free write on the prompt, WANT — and be sure to leave an encouraging comment on the blog linked up before yours!
Also, don’t forget to sign up for the next round of #fmfpartysnailmail before June 17th!
We love fostering community in this place! Have a great weekend, friends!
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I hear you! I’ve fallen into the ‘want trap’ many times. Usually while on vacation. Rather than do without something I forgot at home (or turn around when we’re still only a mile away), I want to buy a replacement. I don’t consider the costs nor my impatience. Thanks for the reminder that self-discipline includes paring down our wants.
Haha! What a hilarious and revealing interaction!
I think you’re right. The blessing of having *everything* constantly at our fingertips (I’m thinking of my addiction to Amazon Prime) has caused us to forgot how to wait. What a loss.
P.S. We’ve never had cable either– and I don’t think we’re missing out! 🙂
Wonderful post!! So insightful!!
Thank you for hosting Kate~~!
not going to lie: my first thought when I saw this was “THEY STILL HAVE DVD RENTAL STORES?!?” hahahaha
but besides showing my young age here, I think you’re post is spot on. In this day and age, we have so much at our fingertips (and I’m a tech/social media lover, so I can’t say much), we’ve forgotten how to wait and be patient. Thanks for the reminder!
Kate,
You are a blessing. It’s so easy to forget how we can be just as impulsive. I’m especially convicted when my kids display the “disposable” attitude.
When did we lose sight of value and accept “replacement therapy”??
“You can always get a new one…”
I miss our rental store. Once a week, we get a disc in the mail from Netflix and it takes two nights to watch a movie. We’re still cable-free.
Every post makes my heart glad for knowing you!
Love,
Tammy
Great post,
Wants vs needs. Definitely a problem we have – when we have it all. It is so easy to get caught up in having. Haven’t written my post yet. Will go study God’s Word and see where He leads me,
Blessings,
Janis
This is a super great word, Kate. I had to ponder this morning before I wrote but then as I wrote, Holy Spirit showed me the two things I want more than anything! Thanks for your faithfulness.
Kate, That is a classic story. It might have been me, sometimes. It takes a “whoa, Nellie”, sometimes to bring my head around correctly. Thank-you so much for hosting this community. i have been writing for two years now.