Yesterday we traded in our little blue car for an SUV. A mom car! (But not quite ready for a mini van.) We looked and looked for three weeks, went to what felt like every car lot in the city and searched on every website... then we went to church last weekend and our Bible class kind of gave us a wake up call.
See our car was perfectly fine, no problems runs great. The only thing I didn't like was that it was a stick shift, and the bigger I get the more exhausting it is to drive--especially in rush hour traffic. Now, I realize I won't be pregnant forever, but I can't imagine trying to drive a stick shift with a screaming baby in the back seat either. As much as I detest distracted driving, I know that it's reality for a mom to have to toss toys or pacifiers into the back seat.
The other thing, was our car didn't have cruse control. This was already an issue, because it's a huge pain to hold your foot in the same position for 2 hours to visit family (or 6 to visit my sister.)
Those were my reasons for wanting a different car, Dirk didn't feel like my little car was safe--he wanted me and the baby in something bigger. I can agree with that.
So we saved up our money and went out looking. Our original car search had us looking for nicer SUV's with low mileage, and quite a few bells and whistles. This was fine, it was in our budget.
Then at church Sunday the class kind of got off topic, talking about how we all tend to be selfish and want bigger and better, especially pertaining to money. Someone brought up the point that people often think, "If I only made $_____ a year life would be so much easier." Then when we get that money, we immediately go out and spend it, and our problems just recycle themselves. It was even called a "higher class of poverty" which really struck home.
After class we looked at each other and said, "We need to re-think our car search."
We were looking for something we simply didn't
need. Granted we could make due with the little car, but we were wanting bigger and better, rather than just getting sometime similar that will work just fine. What we need: a vehicle that is safe, clean, room to grow, an automatic with cruise, will last many years, and is easy to drive.
We don't need: leather, heated seats, temperature gauge, 3rd row seating, separate climate controls (OH how awesome that would be), etc etc etc.
So we traded in our car and paid a little extra to get a very basic Ford Explorer. It's a little bit older than my Kia, but has a lot less miles. It is very clean and has all the basic needs. Not that I am knocking people who have all the extras, I'm just saying Dirk and I don't need it. We were certainly dazzled by it–almost to the point of shelling out the extra cash for it and I don't think it would have made us any happier. We ended up spending a LOT less and we are just as happy.
This car can last us for a very long time and now we can do more productive things with the left over money. Stuff that will help others and really make us "happy" and content.
The ironic part is that our class was about marriage and family, and the money topic was sort of a side rant we all went on. Isn't it funny how God really tells you what you need to hear just when you need to hear it?
Then I completed some hand warmers for my mother to give a friend for Christmas.
I liked those so much that I made myself a pair to wear at the office.
And yesterday I finished a Christmas light garland that I started at Thanksgiving. It's not long enough to go on a tree, but it looks good on my mantel.
