Black Friday is coming!

WARNING! BE ALERT! HEADS UP! BLACK FRIDAY IS COMING!

Every day for the past two weeks my electronic mail box has been stuffed as full as a Thanksgiving turkey – with “Black Friday” spam. Stores with whom I have a made a loyalty card send “once-a-year savings” reminders to buy their stuff. The stuff being marketed is of such high quality, it is being sold at discount! Just I, and a few other loyal customers (who number in the 1000s) receive these offers. Some of our customer loyalty has been pledged to national discounters with retail outlets just up the road from us. I drove by the outlet establishments yesterday and it seems as if 1000's who share similar loyalty are more eager than I am to make use of the coupons.

Newspapers are heavier than usual nowadays as merchants from Abercrombie to Zoes insert coupons and “unbelievable bargains.” The current deal on batteries offered by a pharmacy chain is enticing, until I try to think where I would use four dozen AAA size current producers. Even with eight grandchildren who possess more than enough electric gizmos, I am having hard time thinking up a reason to buy the bargain pack!

Since our new home has much lower ceilings than the old row house in Philadelphia, we purchased a new, shorter, smaller-in-diameter Christmas tree. Today’s challenge is, “Who wants all the ornaments that won’t fit on the smaller tree?” The kids have their own array of bangles and beads. Used ornaments don’t sell well at flea markets. “Craigslist” isn’t promising either.

And, then, this morning I was arrested as I read the five Psalms I usually read on the 18th of each month. Have you considered that those who love God’s Word pray as they agree with the Psalmist’s song, “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your Word?” (Psalm 119:37) Pat and I momentarily lost our better judgment this week when we saw a 90% display at a arts and crafts retailer. Our youngest Grands will be the proud owners of fake walkie-talkies, cameras, and calculators. Our eyes saw, our hearts overwhelmed our better judgment! Stuff will multiply in a playroom of other “worthless things.” The girls and one boys will hug us and say, “Thank you Papa,” as their parents eyes roll back in the their head!

Is the seasonal exercise we all have in mind absolutely worthless? No, I don’t think so. All I have to do is anticipate the one-of-a-kind hug each of the little ones will share. The thirty minutes of make believe communication will help balance out the outrageous $1.07 purchase made by a doting Papa and Grandma. We have already discarded offers for plasma TVs, complex electronic gadgets for simulated sports activity, and dozens of other items. (We thought that you might want them!)

Am I a Grinch? No! Don’t spread that rumor! It just seems important that before we start negotiating the retail fields mined with discount coupons. The urge to purchase “worthless things” must be weighed carefully and resisted aggressively.

Be careful in the parking lots surrounding the outlets. I’ll be there at least once!