I needed to return to the mission field to break the hold materialism had on me.

Downsizing after my husband’s death allowed me to exercise my knack for interior design. Although our house on Camelback Mountain in Phoenix. had been well-done, everything remained exactly the same for 30 years. It was time for a fresh start.

Especially in the finishing touches, I looked for something unique, such as the wallpaper border of cowboy boots I chose for my Western room. I like lots of conversation pieces. To find items I pictured in my mind, I turned to the Internet.

A ledge extends between my living room and office, leaving an open space up to the cathedral ceiling. Decorating the ledge in my office became one of my last challenges. For a start, I found a wallpaper border for the wall under the ledge. Not only did the colors blend with my decor, the design confirmed my faith with Scripture texts written on various shaped plaques. All I needed was the right display to sit on top of the ledge.

After browsing the Internet for several hours, I selected buildings and accessories to create a miniature village. I cut out paper replicas to make sure everything would fit together.

With my list in hand, I went to the computer to order. A note on the Website stated that the company would be closed for two weeks because of inclement weather. The weather improved, but the business did not reopen in two weeks—or two months.

When I find I can’t get something, I really want it. Since I knew the manufacturer of the product, I went online to search for other suppliers. I found an item or two here and there, but it would not be easy to collect the 18 items needed.

About the third link I clicked threw me into eBay. In all the Internet shopping I had done, I had stayed clear of eBay. I didn’t know how it worked and had no desire to learn. Besides, I had heard about people being scammed on eBay. Without other options, though, I set up an account. The ease of finding what I wanted amazed me. In less than a month, my village was complete and I was finished with eBay.

Or so I thought. It wasn’t long before I looked for other hard-to-find items such as novelty teapots and soap dispensers. When I finished my house, I got hooked on looking for brand-name purses and jewelry. The list went on and on.

Fortunately, my eBay activity didn’t upset my budget because I purposely set a $250 limit on the account. Still, that was money spent that could go to a better cause. Wasting time was of even greater concern. The several hours a day I spent on home shopping became an escape mechanism. Perhaps even an addiction.

I had always considered myself immune to addictive behavior. Tobacco, drugs, alcohol, gambling or pornography could not get a hold on me. I was too strong. Yet here I was giving in to the urge to check out the latest listing in case I found something I couldn’t live without but didn’t need at all.

There’s nothing wrong with shopping on eBay unless it’s done to excess, and I was approaching that point. Realizing I needed to break the power of a habit in the making, I seriously prayed, “Deliver me from eBay.”

It’s just a matter of discipline, I thought. Resist the temptation. Many times I did, but then I slipped up and disappointed myself—and God. So I continued to pray.

God answered my prayer through a 13-year-old girl named Emily. She had just returned from a mission trip to Jamaica, where she met people who had little of this world’s possessions but still had joy in their hearts. “After my experience, I don’t want much,” Emily said.

Her remark stuck with me. Twenty years earlier I had had a similar experience that had caused me to think like Emily. At least in my mind, I needed to return to the mission field to break the hold materialism had on me.

Gradually, I transferred my vicarious mission experience to concern for a friend who had gone through a rough time. God put it on my heart to help meet her need. “Giving helps counteract materialism,” my pastor had said. The blessing I received from her joy was far greater than finding a bargain on eBay.

I hadn’t been on eBay for several months when I decided to look for something of interest. My password wouldn’t work. I smiled at God’s sense of humor. Later, I received an e-mail stating that my information needed to be updated. Having been warned that replying to such a message can lead to identity theft, I deleted the e-mail and cancelled the account.

Whether or not I ever again shop on eBay does not matter. Getting the most value from my time and money is what’s important. In any event, shopping of any kind will not become an addiction. The God I trust is too strong to let that happen.

Esther M. Bailey lives in Scottsdale, Ariz.