{"id":3175,"date":"2012-10-03T05:38:36","date_gmt":"2012-10-03T09:38:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/?p=3175"},"modified":"2012-10-13T11:41:09","modified_gmt":"2012-10-13T15:41:09","slug":"look-at-those-toys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/10\/look-at-those-toys.html","title":{"rendered":"Look at those toys"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>For the past few days, I spent time with a young man who was on vacation. \u00a0He and his companion stayed near my home. \u00a0Part of his disability is that he is unable to be satisfied with what he has. \u00a0His life revolves around what he desires to eat or have. \u00a0Because he comes from an affluent family, at his vacation, he was able to spend over $300. \u00a0During much of his vacation, Tony was shopping.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>As he and his companion were heading home, she asked him, \u201cTony, what did you buy on your vacation?\u201d<\/p>\n

Tony replied, \u201cI didn\u2019t get the first or second season of the\u00a0Muppet Show<\/em>. \u00a0I didn\u2019t get theHarry Potter<\/em>\u00a0DVD\u2019s. \u00a0I didn\u2019t get\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

His companion interrupted, \u201cNo. \u00a0I asked you what\u00a0did you get<\/strong>. \u00a0Not what you\u00a0didn\u2019t get<\/strong>. \u00a0What\u00a0did you get<\/strong>\u00a0on your vacation?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t get season two of the\u00a0Little Einsteins<\/em>\u00a0or\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTony, tell me what you did get.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember what I got; but I didn\u2019t get\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWait, Tony. \u00a0Think about it. \u00a0Tell me what you did get. \u00a0Surely, you remember something.\u201d<\/p>\n

As I heard about the conversation, I could not help but think about my own needs and desires. \u00a0The Apostle Paul stated that whatever condition he found himself, he was able to be content. \u00a0Obviously, I\u2019m a lot more like Tony than Paul.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Several days ago, I found a shopping bag that contained a wireless keyboard that I\u2019ve wanted for about five years. \u00a0While I was on vacation, I bought it in leu\u00a0of a souvenir. \u00a0That was two or three months ago. \u00a0I haven\u2019t used this keyboard in the months I\u2019ve had it. Obviously, I didn\u2019t need it nearly as much as I thought I did. \u00a0As I listened to what Tony said, my thoughts were drawn to the shopping bag I found with that all-important keyboard that I had forgotten.<\/p>\n

In this time of great affluence, needs and desires get complicated, mashed together and confused, even in those who desire to follow Jesus with all of our hearts. My toys have become necessities. Even as a teenager, I heard that the Church was never hurt from without. \u00a0Under persecution, the Church thrives. \u00a0It is from within that we are destroyed. \u00a0Today is a day of much-needed prayer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For the past few days, I spent time with a young man who was on vacation. \u00a0He and his companion stayed near my home. \u00a0Part of his disability is that he is unable to be satisfied with what he has. \u00a0His life revolves around what he desires to eat or have. \u00a0Because he comes from…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,5,20,3,40,186,49,16,8,4,41,1],"tags":[690,21,688,7,699,715,701,694,549,689,6,547,548],"class_list":["post-3175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-autism-spectrum","category-christianity","category-church","category-developmental-disabilities","category-faith","category-hope","category-inspiration","category-intellectual-disability","category-mentally-challenged-community","category-simple-truths","category-spirituality","category-uncategorized","tag-autism-spectrum","tag-christian","tag-christianity","tag-developmental-disabilities-2","tag-faith","tag-hope","tag-inspiration","tag-intellectual-disability","tag-little-einsteins","tag-mentally-challenged-community","tag-simple-scriptural-truths","tag-toys","tag-videogames"],"yoast_head":"\nLook at those toys - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Look at those toys - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For the past few days, I spent time with a young man who was on vacation. \u00a0He and his companion stayed near my home. \u00a0Part of his disability is that he is unable to be satisfied with what he has. \u00a0His life revolves around what he desires to eat or have. \u00a0Because he comes from…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/10\/look-at-those-toys.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-10-03T09:38:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2012-10-13T15:41:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/specialgathering.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/10\/toys1.jpg?w=202&h=122\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda G. 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