As I bounced over the dusty roads on my way to the property where we were building a home for a needy family,  I thought about a favorite Spanish verse.  Psalm 23:1 Says, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." or in Spanish, "El Senor es mi pastor, nada me falta."

At this time of year as we peruse curriculum catalogs, or are visiting families on vacations it is easy to look around and think that there are many things that we lack.  The Spanish verse conjures up an image for me of lacking nothing, not so much that I should not want anything,  which in our modern understanding of language sounds more like a prohibition against discontent.  The truth is that there is nothing really that I am missing or in lack of. 

Applying this understanding is where it gets tricky.  This year because I have been homeschooling for ten years I had some curriculum I hadn't used, some I am designing myself and some I have borrowed.  I may have to buy a few literature selections for my children, but overall we were able to put our school plan together without spending much money.  Being thoughtful about what we really need, and spending less frees up more money for good works, or even in our case continuing as full time missionaries. When you read the news coming from the manufacturing world; lead paint on Elmo, slave labor creating expensive clothing, you add one more compelling reason to buy less and help more, all for the glory of God.

Jennifer Pepito
jennpepito@yahoo.com