We are having some friends over for dinner. “I’ll keep it simple,” I said. “Just soup and sandwiches.” So onto Pinterest I go to find a few new recipes. “We should have variety,” I think. “I’ll make a few different kinds of soup and get different kinds of deli meats and cheese, so people can make what they want.” This turned into a trip to Costco. And Target. And Giant Eagle. And Kroger. I’m making chili. And Cream of Chicken Soup. And Italian Wedding Soup. We have sourdough bread. And ciabatta. And whole grain bread. And pretzel rolls. I bought turkey. And ham. And roast beef. Cheddar cheese and provolone. Although we have 17 bottles of wine in the cabinet, I bought three more. Just in case. And craft beer. Oh and salad. We need salad in case someone wants soup and salad instead of soup and sandwich. And fruit. Maybe someone will want fruit salad instead of a green salad. But if they want greens,  there should be a choice. So I bought spinach and mixed greens. Just in case. There’s mayo and mustard (spicy and regular), ketchup and Siracha ketchup; relish, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce and onions for the sandwiches. Shredded cheddar for the chili, parmesan for the Italian Wedding Soup, which by the way, has nothing to do with weddings, but rather marriage, Look it up. We have oyster crackers, Saltine crackers, whole grain crackers and Ritz crackers. You never know… As I’m rolling the pork and beef and onion mixture into 150 tiny meatballs for the Italian Wedding Soup, Scott says, “How much soup are you making?” “Just the three kinds I mentioned before. We will have leftovers for all week!” I say, proudly. “Yes, but dear, there is no room in the fridge for all of your ‘leftovers’ after all of that stuff you bought yesterday. It’s just Alan and Michelle. I don’t think we can eat all of that!”

He’s right. Why do I find it so impossible to actually keep it simple? To be ok with a few choices, instead of a dozen? It’s like I’m always wanting just a little bit more. Like a little insurance. It’s the same reason we buy super human quantities of things at Costco. Just. In. Case.

Now don’t get me wrong…our family of six (+1 au pair…and usually a friend or two dropping by) can go through a loaf of bread for lunch, a gallon of milk in a day, toilet paper/tissues/paper towels by the case in a week, and a box of Tide in a month. So we buy toothbrushes and body wash, trash bags and dryer sheets, salsa and bagels buy the pallet…just in case. And while this tactic may spare me one extra trip to the store in a month, and if we are strategic, maybe a few dollars here and there, it doesn’t truly make me feel content. We never actually have enough. Having more just makes me feel…well…like I have more. And then I have to find a place to store it. Organize it. Clean it. Why can’t I just be content?

God says, “Seriously, Jen. Relax. Just be happy with what you have. It’s enough. I’ve got you covered.” Hebrews 13:5…”Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have because He has said, ‘I will never leave you; I will always be by your side.'”

We are getting ready to move in a few months, and we are seriously talking about downsizing a little. Maybe more isn’t more. Maybe more will just distract me from enough as I try to clean, decorate, organize and use more. I don’t need more if I realize that God and my family is my enough.

Disclaimer: My viewpoints are not necessarily reflective of my employer, or any local, regional or national organization that I belong to. As a matter of fact, I pretty much just speak for myself. Please keep that in mind.