My Real World Essetials

It's easy to get caught up in the desires of the world and earthly possessions. Especially for me in the horse world. There is always this desire for fancy tack, flashy clothes, and just plain more stuff. I'll admit I've fallen to this (i.e. the fact I own 4 saddles and only one horse). However, now that I'm in college I'm realizing what I want to be able to buy when I'm in the real world. There is a passage that has always stuck with me.

Proverbs 30:8-9
give me neither poverty nor riches,
   but give me only my daily bread.
 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
   and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
   and so dishonor the name of my God.

This combined with thinking about the burden of paying my own bills and having a real job got me to determine what I would need to have the means to obtain in order to be happy with my life. While some people may have things like cars, houses, and a plethora of entertainment options; my list is something a lot more basic. It's the bare bones of what I think I need in my life in order to be content.

• Enough food so I won't be hungry.
• A place to live that protects me from the weather conditions and extreme heat/cold.
• Medical care (doctor's, emergency room, medicine, surgery) when needed.
• Ability to maintain proper personal hygiene.
• A way to get where I need to be when I need to be there.
• A phone that can call and text.
• Clothes that I can be presentable in public.
• A place to keep my horse and food for him.
• Care for my horse (feet, veterinary, shots, dewormer, etc).
• Enough income to pay off my student loans.

So when other hopeful college graduates may have a yearly income in mind, my hope is that when I graduate I'll have the means to obtain these things. As long as I have them I have absolutely no room to complain! I'm perfectly fine giving up the extras of life. In fact, my hopes are to put whatever I make beyond this list (if God so blesses me) to further His kingdom. As long as I have these bare essentials I'll be alright!