Life is better with an iTan and a new Car

As I was driving down the 15 the other day I saw a billboard I have seen a few times.  Each time I see it I say to myself, "really, is it??"  The billboard proclaims "Life is better with an iTan".  First; side rant on iTan - just because Apple found huge success naming many of it's products iPod, iPad, iPhone, etc., simply putting an "i" in front of your service does not mean you will instantly have the brain power of Steve Jobs or the overnight windfall of Apple, but I digress... The real point here....is life really better with something as simple as a tan? (or an iTan, if you must?)  Now, must know - I've tanned - not going to lie - I do feel a little more lovely with a little color on my skin.  Not saying those who tan are shallow (I would be one of those), but (to me) the message here; forget about the things that really might make your life better and go for something trivial.  I've been thinking a lot about contentedness and fulfillment lately.  Per usual, my kids words shed light on my heart.  We recently traded in our car for a bigger car, we also recently bought a new car seat for Leah....(stick with me here - i promise the tan and the car idea will come together in some form of continuity).  That sweet little girl just could NOT get over the fact that she got a new car seat; every time we got in the car for several weeks all she could say in her sweet 2 year old voice was (insert said voice at appropriate 2 year old squeal here) "NEW TARSHEET" (translation: new car seat).  Put said "tarsheet" in new (to us) car and holy cow - she had won the lottery, "NEW TARSHEET IN MY NEW TAR!!!!"  Noah too was pretty excited about the new tar, and if I must admit - so was I.  That got me really thinking though about the state of my heart and the message I am sending to my kids about value and what's important.  Do I think it's OK to get excited about new things, sure, but so often we get wrapped up in "things" like a car, or a tan (see..i told you...) and allow the temporal things of this world to take up all of the "thinking space" in my mind.  When I allow the temporal things to take up residence all I want is more of the temporal.  Thus, the thinking about contentment...I've been a Christian for a long time and to say that the idea that we are supposed to find our contentment and fulfillment in Jesus is new would be just plain silly.  But because I've been a Christian for a long time I tend to forget sometimes "the basics".  Isaiah promises us again and again and again that when we search after the Lord we will find his promises and He will fill us with His hope and His peace, which leads to contentment.  One of my favorite verses of all times is Isaiah 26:3-4 "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you, Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal."  When I am keeping my mind steadfast in the Lord I don't have the tendency to focus on the things that are temporal and bring momentary happiness but to find my contentment and fulfillment in the Lord; really the only thing that matters.  So, that's the story of how a new "tar" and an iTan billboard made me stop and take stock of what I was allowing to take up residence in the last two working cells I have left in my brain...what's taking up yours?