Learning from a child

My mom has flown in from Florida and is staying with my brother while his wife is away so that she can help with the baby. So, "hottie" and I took Boudreaux over to see them this weekend. Well, my brother and his wife are in a different stage of life than "hottie" and I, so it is so easy to covet what they have. Granted my brother works hard and has never been a materialistic kind of person. He would give away everything he had if someone asked him for it. Often, one doesn't even need to ask for my brother to give them things. He is just like that....more concerned with the people than the stuff. I wish that I were better at that. But also as I see these two children (one is 11 months and the other 8 months) playing with all the toys that we have provided for them, I notice something very interesting. They love to play with plastic measuring spoons and ladels. Now, I realize that all children love to play with spoons and ladels, but why can't I be happy with the spoons and ladels of my life? For the most part, I am happy, but every once in awhile, I see creeping out of me this desire for more than what I have, a better bed, a better bathtub (preferable one that doesn't drip cold water from the ceiling), cuter clothes (a cuter figure to go with the clothes)....yet around the globe, even within miles from my house are people who have sooooo much less than I do. I want to be content with what I have, but even more I want to hold more value on people than possessions. Matt Chandler said similarly last night at The Village Church and I hope to echo his sentiment: We can not grow outside of deeply committed relationships to people, those relationships which are so dear that we give of ourselves and our things to others. Thank you, my brother, for being an example for me to follow in this aspect.