Green Eyed Monster

We've all met her (or him) one time of another. This is the one who rears her ugly head every so often to knock you out of whack. This is the one who makes sure you recognize the differences between you and your peers. This is the one who pushes you to keep up with the Joneses. This is the green eyed monster and he/she is out in full force these days.

This is the time of year where we spend every last penny with have to give to others. In theory, this is a great concept. Sharing what you have with others-what could be so wrong about that? It goes wrong when we lose sight of why we are giving, and even worse, begin to demand things from others. When did this happen? What made it OK in our minds to begin creating Christmas lists? When did we lose sight of why we were truly celebrating? 

I must ashamedly admit my green eyed monster has poked her nose into my business a few times this season. She found her way to me the minute a family member asked what I wanted for Christmas. I wanted to scream and shout about every little item I'd seen recently that would look precious in our new home. I wanted to rant on and on about the new Kindle Fire I am stalking like a madwoman on Amazon. In fact, I did. It was only later that I realized how truly selfish I sounded. I have a freaking house, how many people can say that?! I can afford to buy books, why do I need to do it on an eReader?? It was a sock in the stomach when I realized how much I sounded like a brat.

So now that we all feel like a bunch of heathens. You don't? So it's just me? Awesome. Well, when you finally join the rest of the world in confession I challenge you to look introspectively at your holiday season. Peek at your spending habits and make sure you're buying for the right reasons. Take a gander at your calendar and ask yourself, "Why am I really going there? Can my time be better spent elsewhere helping others?".  Challenge your friends and family to serve your community in some way, shape, or form. How can you make it so your green eyed monster doesn't make an unwanted appearance?