Moreness vs Enoughness

On the way home from an appointment this morning, I stopped by TJ Maxx to pick up some hair products knowing that tomorrow would only provide me with zoo-like conditions. And if today is any indication, it will be just that. A zoo! My first clue was the absence of vacant parking places. My second was the woman coming out of the store. Climbing in her truck, she said to me, “I just want to warn you: it’s crazy in there!” I thanked her, told her that I just needed some hairspray, and boldly entered the … zoo.

She was right. It was crazy. But not just with customers … and there were a lot of us, but also employees who were hard at work getting ready for the weekend shoppers. Boxes in the aisles, tables laden with every gadget imaginable, and bins stacked a mile high with what I’m assuming was everything they didn’t know what to do with. 

So let me back up a moment. A couple of weeks ago at our morning ladies’ Bible study, I challenged the women not to purchase any unneeded item between now and Christmas, with decorations being the main thrust of the idea. In other words, we were to practice the discipline of “Enoughness.” 

And so here I was standing in front of that table laden with all kinds of cool stuff. I walked around it. Checked prices. Picked up a few boxes. I have to admit that towel warming bucket was very alluring. Can you just imagine such luxury? But I resisted and moved on to get my hairspray. But not before stopping at the winter apparel where my eye caught the most beautiful long blue coat that would make my gray hair “pop.” And what a good price! I took it off the rack; held it up to see the length. Perfect. But, I decided not to let myself try it on. After all, Sandy had just bought me a jacket at Bass Pro last weekend and I have read that having more than two coats in your closet is stealing from the poor. I needed to move on to the hairspray aisle anyway.

But what’s a stop at TJ Maxx without checking out their shoes? I always find a great deal; some cute pair I just can’t live without. And those fuzzy Tom’s fit the bill, but a half size too small. On to the hairspray. Oh, wait. Christmas pajamas! Wouldn’t I be so cute on Christmas morning in these red ones that said, “Joy!”? But the plaid I could really wear all year. Hmm. I’ll think about it and returned each to the rack.

But this time before turning toward the hairspray, I looked toward the back of the store and my eyes fell on all the Christmas decorations and wrapping paper and every kind of paraphernalia there was to be sold, and I stopped dead in my tracks. For just a moment, time stood still as I recalled my challenge to those women. And then I cried, “Oh, God. Forgive me. Forgive us … for all of this,” gesturing my hands as I said it. “For making this holy season into a season of ‘Moreness,’ which is so foreign to the true meaning of Christmas.”

Indeed, on that first Christmas, God gave us everything we need in the birth of His very own Son. His very Presence with us. Here. Now. Tomorrow. We already have it all because we have Him! Oh, if we could just live with that sense of “Enoughness.” How our lives would be so different. So full. So real. So satisfying. God help us. God help me.

I finally made it over to the wall with the hair products, and wouldn’t you know it, they didn’t have my hairspray. In fact, the shelves were almost depleted, left unstocked in order to fill the “more” pressing needs. So I left the animal theme park empty handed … but with a heart filled, no, overflowing, with “enoughness.”

Just an ordinary moment…