False Fillers

The other day I was in the 99 cents store . The same aisle that has the stationery items (I love stationery) also has the junk food items. So I decided to purchase a bag of chips. Now I could have exercised self-control and bought nothing but I settled on a bag of crunchy cheese doodles. That is after I put back the bag of puffed cheese doodles because there are less puffy doodles in the same sized bag than in the crunchy and I gotta get the bang for my buck!

So then I started thinking about other areas in my life when I settle for the puffiness over the content... like settling for a vanilla coke when I know I need to drink water, eating a dark chocolate Hershey bar instead of biting into the apple I brought from home, buying clothes from the cheap stores when I can save my money and spend it on items that will last me longer than one season or settling for relationships that leave me lost, insecure and empty.

False Fillers... those things that fill you up for the moment but leave you wanting... False fillers make you think you've got more than you really do... making you think that the empty voids are full... false fillers will leave you always craving more, never satiated, never content. You know... a lot of the foods we eat contain fillers. They bulk up the food. However, most fillers have little to no nutritional value...

I'm gonna be honest here... this here job I'm in... it's a false filler. It is a break off from the initial position I applied for 2 years before and didn't get. It wasn't the title nor the money that I longed for. And I can count how many days I've been happy or content... so I know it's time for me to move on...

This past weekend, I had some "me" time and when I woke up on Saturday morning I felt suffocated by the things surrounding me. Books, clothes, papers... things... and I knew it was time to clear out. So along with my belongings that simply filled up my space, I decided it was time to purge my closets and my dresser drawers... how many different black sweaters can I put on at one time? And how many do I need to look beautiful or feel sexy?

And purging always makes me feel good... the act of the and result after. So now my home is open, airy and spacious... and my life...

Well I no longer indulge in alcohol... a glass of wine here or there... but I don't drown my sorrows... I eat more whole & healthier foods... I read books with content... I watch TV shows that are entertaining and they feed my mind... I buy items that are worth their value and my relationships - my friendships and my courtships - bring me pleasure and satisfaction. I no longer desire the fluff and now that I've tasted the real deal, false fillers are recognizable and avoidable...

... I

Maslow created a a theory in psychology... a hierarchy of the basic needs of humans...
Dr. Oz, from Oprah, he also spoke of the 5 basic needs...
The range of the basic needs - from air to water to food to shelter to sex - varies... depending on the theories...

I went around to the QuietStorm and to Lovebabz's abodes and I see the question posted

"What Do I (You) Need?"

And the initial answer that pops in my mind is....

Not a damn thang!

I need for and want for little... sometimes nothing... because my needs are met.
Shelter - check
Food - check
Clothing - check
Oxygen - check
Sex...

However today I just bought a new pair of sandals... because I am short and I needed a new pair of sandals that will give me some height but I don't need to be uncomfortable so I need a sandal to offer height and comfort, be inexpensive, and the right color. I opted for brown and it changed my entire outfit. Now I'm out $60.00 and though the sandals look and feel wonderful, I'm pissed that I spent money at all. Now would I be happy or unhappy if buying these fabulous sandals was necessary and my need was truly met?

I need my family... my blood-related peoples, my church family, my work family... even y'all my blog peoples.
I need my job... once again, I'm happy to go unscathed from unemployment, but times are tight and this j.o.b. is my resource...
And on that note - I need my SOURCE

See when I think about all the things I think I need... more money, joy, laughter, love, nature, a better neighborhood to live in, goals, achievements, confidence, dreams... I go to HIM. When I think about all I have, my heart says thank you. He is my source, the source of all provision.

We confuse... let me personalize this... I confuse my wants and needs all of the time. Sometimes I need another "something" like I need a whole in my head. I do not recognize God as my Source every time I feel the need. Just today I realize how I created a situation that I did not want because I thought I needed a little attention. I needed my ego stroked. I needed a compliment. At times I will indulge when I feel the need... chocolate, new shoes, text and instant messaging... I'll call my girlfriends, my male friends... I'll seek out Maxwell or Amel Larrieux... but those are all false fillers, like eating sugar when I wanna stay alert or drinking soda when I'm thirsty. My source supplies my needs, even the ones I don't know I need, and I need no more.

This posting exercise has helped me recognize my needs and they are many... such as I need to forgive and then I need to let go... I need more faith and then I need to release many fears... I need self-discipline... I need boldness... I need to surrender... I need joy and I need my SOURCE - he's the great provider.