Nothing Wrong With Ping Pong

Are you dreading the kids being home for the holidays? What will you do to keep them busy especially if the rain continues? Our family has started something pretty fun that you might try. (You could even slip this inexpensive gift in a stocking or 2!) We purchased 2 ping pong paddles and a ball. Most days you will find the chairs pushed back from the kitchen table and two people going head to head in a heated ping pong match.

"What about a net?" people ask. We don't use one. We just eyeball it.
"The table is too small," someone else mentioned. True, but it works.
"It'll ruin your table," a friend whined. Hasn't yet.
"Why don't you buy the kids a ping pong table for Christmas?" a family member suggested.

Here's what I've learned about purchases. Once you buy something, the new wears off, and nobody plays with it. Society programs us to think we need the newest and latest. That is why there are new hairstyles each year, seasonal fashion trends, phone upgrades, and the latest models in cars. We are trained to believe we need the "new stuff" so designers, dealerships, and wealthy companies continue to bring in revenue and we appear wealthy and "cool."
So what do we do? Here is a hard concept and extremely counterculture:

"Be content with what you have." Hebrews 13:5

Try saying that five or six times slowly. What comes to your mind?

This Christmas season make contentment a priority. Be content with the size of your home, the

number of gifts you are able to give, your spouse and children, your job, your Christmas decorations. Turn your eyes off what everyone else has and be content with all the blessings in your life.

Remember, you don't have to purchase a ping-pong table, or a brand new car, a phone upgrade, or the largest TV on the planet. Next year at this time there will be a bigger and better one to take it's place. So be content with the ping pong tables in your life and enjoy all you have been given.