to shop wisely in one thing

(from my fb notes, March 27h 2010)

Still in the heat of reading "Beautiful in God's Eyes" ..
This Proverbs 31 woman gave us model how it is to spend time wisely.. By spending time wisely means getting up really early in the morning, and staying 'til late at night. (Proverbs 31:15,18) And what she did was working..working and working!!

It was 11 am on beautiful Saturday, I was still lying on my bed, reading the book! haha :$
and suddenly, I thought..” it is not right, get up, and be productive!!! “ (Well.. I think that reading a good book is one way to be productive though, u know, enriching the soul). But, on this rare moment (me, not going anywhere on weekend), I remembered that I still had thing I've been procrastinating since forever!

*RE-ARRANGING MY CLOSET *
For only less than 15 minutes, my clothes and friends marked their own territories all over my bedroom *ouch*
I did shake my head so many times, realizing how I spoiled myself before, to buy things I didn’t even wear! I found joy finding hidden treasures inside my closet, things I even forgot I had!

Before the 6 months –only 2 new clothes each month- commitment (please read my note “beautiful money manager”), I used to shop unwisely:
- I thought the cheaper the better. Well maybe sometimes it is, but in my case, “oh, it’s cheap, I am buying it!”. I didn’t even consider whether I needed it, and since it was cheap, I didn’t even think much when I bought it! Later I figured out uuuh.. the quality was awful. So I had plenty of low quality – cheap stuffs, that I didn’t need and wore only once!
Do the math!! Plenty of cheap stuffs + useless = unnecessary a LOT of money spent!!
- I shopped when I was stressed out (1st year of work, baby!!) I enjoyed the” joy” of spending my own money, of spoiling myself, of getting new stuffs. I thought I would feel better after “treating” myself! Did I feel better? Not at all! I regretted! But, I couldn’t help; it’s about managing my mind, and again a commitment!
- I spent so much time in shopping malls!!! I led myself into temptations!
- I always found reasons to buy new clothes. Friends’ weddings, just finished work – celebrate it-, “just FEEL like buying it”, “I don’t have this color, this model.. “
- I sometimes bought clothes in smaller size than mine, I thought “oh, this will motivate me to lose weight”… Boo me, friends! They ended up becoming untouched clothes!

After down-grading my clothes into homie outfits, giving away some clothes.. My "wearable" clothes moved back to where they belong, my closet. There is a space now, I could clearly see what I have, and moreover I could see the difference of things I bought before ”the 6 months” and after!

Thank to the “6 months commitment”, after I controlled myself so strictly..
- I thought hundred times before I decided to buy something. I would rather spend more money to buy one good thing, than plenty of bad things.
-When I am stressed out, of course, I pray! I drink tea, I listen to nice songs, I read books, I write! Or sometimes, I sleep!
- I am at home much more often than before. The only temptations we have at home are sleeping and eating! (haha!!... well, I am working on eating properly too though!)
- I always go back to my closet to find treasures to accompany me attending my friends’ weddings.
- I re-arrange my closet to be reminded of what I have! And I am always surprised!!
- No more buying small size, and lose weight! But, lost weight, and buy a proper size!
- I am loyal to some good brands that are “trustable”, well at least, I know they fit me. So I don’t waste time to shop around aimlessly, I know what I am looking for, and where I can find it. If I don’t find it, I simply go back home and think about it once again.

I am still learning on and on not to fall into temptations though, to conquer myself, to be productive, to spend money wisely.
To shop wisely is one thing. There is still a lot of work to do to be a beauty in God's eyes, and the work may take our whole life time.
So, say hello to commitment, willingness, motivation and discipline! And prepare ourselves to experience the unutterable joy and fulfillment that come from acting on the desires of our hearts, desires which God has placed there (Psalm 37:4) - to be a woman after His own heart, I believe-