Covetousness is like an itchy welt

Covetousness is like the type of mosquito bite that leaves a huge welt and itches for days. We don't have a car in Costa Rica. We walk or take taxis, which makes our experience much closer to that of the average Costa Rican. Most of the time it's no problem, but it does require one to think and plan ahead. I've always loved cars and have owned one or more for the past 30 years--until we arrived in Costa Rica. So, for the fun of it, we rented a car this past weekend. Since there are 6 in our family, we needed something more than a small sedan. The nice minivans were all rented, so we ended up in a 2002 Kia Joice. It's the size of a Toyota Corolla with seating for 7. It was an old, run-down, undependable rental car--and I loved it! When it was time to turn it in, it hurt. Having the car for two days gave me a taste for car freedom. It whet my appetite for more. Now I'm left with the nasty, itchy welt that I mentioned before. In a few days, the welt will disappear and the itch will fade away. There's a reason why the Lord forbids covetousness in his list of the big 10--it robs one of joy and clouds your vision from seeing all the wonderful gifts you already have.