“Lifestyle envy”. I chanced upon this apt term a few days ago when a friend lamented how public social networks like Facebook was making her bad day worse. After all, who needs to see amazing pictures of friends on holidays in exotic places you can’t afford when you’re facing financial woes, or lovey-dovey surprises between couples after you’ve just had a fight?
I confess. I used to be one of them, allowing my jealous feathers to get ruffled whenever I saw doctor colleagues in far more prestigious specialties constantly post pictures of what their rich boyfriends were splurging on them and the fancy holidays they were on. You’d think after so many mission trips and marrying a missionary that I would know better. But it took a season of consecration, deliberate prayer and constant releasing for me to re-learn contentment and simplicity, gratitude and joy, and to revel in the things that were important in life. As I began to focus my eyes on what was important, these material luxuries held less and less temptation and dazzle for me. Interestingly, God also always sent the right people who would give us unexpected treats when I most had a craving, and Cliff’s endless antics always made life exciting enough. It put me to shame when I thought myself as being “poorer” than others- it reflected discontentment, and a lack of trust in God’s provision.
I’m sure you know what I mean. And perhaps you know more than a handful of people whose endless posts on their expensive travels and fancy food-trails make you drool once in a while.
Interestingly, prayer morphed what initially was “lifestyle envy” into a fruit of inspiration called Creativity. I saw this picture on Facebook one day and thought to myself how nice it would be to have a hearty breakfast like that with Cliff after a run one day. But immediately, instead of being shot with a pang of envy like I would have suffered from in the past, I was filled with gratitude, that instead of working a hundred hours a week like I used to and being able to afford weekly treats like that, I was thankful for the time I have had with Cliff since we got married.
I remember whenever I asked Cliff at the end of a good meal outside with him, what the best part of it was, he would always say with a cheeky glimmer in his eye, “The company.”
Last Saturday morning, in his soporific state in bed, he turned around to say, with eyes half-closed, “I’m so truly happy to be married to you. Not just happy, but trooollly happy.” I wondered if he was dreaming, ha. But anyways, his sweetness powered me to give him a breakfast surprise after our morning run that day.
So if you, like me, want to throw out this modern bug called Lifestyle Envy-bacteriocus,
turn your eyes on God.
And, if you ’d like to bring the café home to bless someone else,
tell yourself- it’s easy!
Our home-made Saturday treat
Food for Love:
1. Pancake mix
2. Eggs and milk (or just water, depending on what it says on your pancake mix box).
Food for Beauty:
Any kind of fruit could possibly go well with pancakes, but I used these ingredients, still available from the Care Pack Cliff’s mum mailed us from Canada some months back.
1. Bananas
2. Dried fruits (blueberries, cranberries or raisins even)
3. Muesli
The Act
1. Whisk the pancake mix together.
2. Toss in the dried fruits- in this case, I had dried blueberries.
(I’m sure fresh blueberries or any other kind of dried fruit would work splendidly.
If you’re a fan of cinnamon, it will add a delightful flavour- to home-made French Toast as well!
Cliff’s not a big fan of it in pancakes though, so I omitted it.)
3. Then Flip ‘em!
4. Stack ‘em!
5. And Decorate & Drizzle ‘em!
(Do remember to cut the bananas last so they don’t brown too fast.
Thanks to Cliff’s mum, I also had the joy of drizzling Cliff’s favourite Canadian maple syrup over the golden tower.)
According to Cliff, he enjoyed the look (and probably price) of this more than the one in the Facebook picture, heheh. He does have a sweet tongue, so yes, I agree I mustn’t let his compliments get into my head, ha.
There you have it, a $16 (or up to $28, depending on where your café is situated at and the kind of music they play, ha) breakfast treat for the one you love.
Served with an extra hug.
No lifestyle envy required.
Enjoy this easy breakfast fix!
“A sound heart is life to the body,
But envy is rottenness to the bones. “
– Proverbs 14:30
“Then He said to His disciples,
‘Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat;
nor about the body, what you will put on.
Life is more than food,
and the body is more than clothing.’ “
– Luke 12:22,23
Grace says
Spot-on diagnosis of the “woes” plaguing a young person in Singapore.
Wish u had a regular column in a magazine or sth..
Sarah says
I just stumbled upon your blog and reading through your posts has helped me realise that God can be a very real part of my life if I let Him be, just like you let Him be in yours. Thank you. May God bless your words that minister to others and may He reveal His plans to you in His time!