Tag Archives: contentment

Dusting off my happiness

Posted on by
5

Looking through old posts on this blog, which was started quite a long time ago, is like looking through my parents’ old photo albums when I visit their house. I read stories I wrote about our parenting adventure that I had forgotten, lessons I’ve learned in life and keep relearning. I find memories, some that make me laugh, some that give me a lump in my throat, that have gotten covered up by others falling on top of them in my mind like stacks of papers getting dusty from no one shuffling through them for a while. Sometimes I read what I wrote and think, “Wow, was that me writing that?” I haven’t written for a long time and miss it. It helps me process what I’m feeling, thinking and learning, even though apparently I forget those things before too long.

For reasons I won’t go into detail explaining, the past 9-10 years were peppered with chronic stress and anxiety, which caused some depression, and often numbness. Continue reading →

We’re not poor

Posted on by
Reply

I saw a book several years ago that I would still love to have someday.  Flipping through the pages while standing in the bookstore, I was deeply affected by “Material World:A Global Family Portrait” created by photojournalist Peter Menzel.  He and his team traveled around the world, seeking out families willing to have all their earthly possessions moved out of their home and into the street.  Peter photographed each family standing with their belongings as well as taking pictures of their daily life and culture.  It is fascinating and eye-opening.  The starkest contrast for me was the American family, whose belongings filled an entire cul-de-sac compared to a family from Tibet whose belongings were mostly contained on a small table.

If anyone’s at a loss about what to get me for Christmas, any of Peter’s books would be wonderful!  He’s recently finished one about what and how much people around the world eat.  Also very interesting.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in these last three years is to be content no matter what, even when my housing, my clothes, or my budget are not what I wish they were.  There are so much more lasting and important things in life than tangible things.  In fact, having less is sometimes freeing – not as much to worry about, insure, and store.  Don’t get me wrong – when I walk around a mall I wish I had several thousand dollars – I could do some serious damage buying clothes, shoes, Bath & Body stuff, you name it.  I love to shop.  And I have to admit, I love stuff.

Today at lunch John, Krissy and I were talking about using all the food in the pantry and being creative.  So often there are things in there I’ve bought at the grocery store a long time ago and never used.  Krissy commented, “That’s ’cause we’re poor.”  And we all laughed.  We’re not poor!  We’re a little squeezed by our squeaky tight budget but my goodness, we have so much more than so many people around the world.  And…things don’t bring peace, love, freedom, joy, or fulfillment.

We’re so privileged in America, but maybe that’s a disadvantage.  What do you think?

TGYWTT

Posted on by
Reply

This morning I realized that I forgot Thankful Thursday again!  So instead of TGIF, today I say TGYWTT:  Thank God Yesterday Was Thankful Thursday.

This time I want to thank God for the things I usually think of as negative or unwanted in my life.  I know He uses everything to help us grow, to strengthen us, to keep us humble, to help us remain desperate for Him.  Thanking God even for the awful things you encounter is a way of saying “I trust You, God, and still believe that you’re good.  I believe what you said about causing all things to work together for good.” (Romans 8:28)  Like the Psalmist said in chapter 118, “Thank God because he’s good, because his love never quits.” (The Msg)  I thank God because He’s good and that never changes….so I can always be thankful.

As a follower of Jesus I say that I’m content whatever comes my way because my life belongs to Him and I trust Him.  Can I take it a step further and actually be thankful for the hard stuff that comes my way?  Sometimes I can.  I try to.  I guess that’s what the song means that says “we bring a sacrifice of praise.”  Being thankful can actually feel like sacrifice.   We may not feel thankful but we choose to be.  So here goes… Continue reading →

Today is good

Posted on by
Reply

Today is beautiful.

Today I have more than I need; in fact, compared to many I live in luxury.

Today the sun warms my skin, a warm breeze tousles my hair, all under a canopy clear aqua-blue sky.

Today I am content.

Today I get to spend time with my sister from Arizona who I love.

Today my bills are paid and my car is running.

Today I’m healthy and well.

Today John and I are both employed.

Today, like yesterday and every day ahead of me, I have the incredible privilege of enjoying a close relationship with God.  He was waiting for me as I opened my eyes this morning – waiting to give me the gift of this day.

Today I’m exploring His gift as it unwinds.  I’ll miss beauty, blessings, and even God Himself if I’m all bound up in wondering about days ahead.

Jesus said to live in today…not yesterday and not tomorrow.  That’s good because I don’t know what’s coming tomorrow.  It’s actually a loving gift He gave us, to just dwell in the day we woke to, to enjoy it, to walk hand in hand through it with him and those around us, to be thankful and at peace.

So, I’m living in this day.

And today is good.

Jesus said, “What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”  Matthew 6:33-34 The Message

A week of giving thanks

Posted on by
2

I decided this morning that I need to focus more on gratitude and being content with all that God has given me – easy or difficult, what I thought was coming and what I didn’t expect, what I dream of and what I dread, what energizes me and what drains me.  It’s all allowed into my life through His good, loving hands and so I must be thankful and content.  I’m going to thank Him in a different way each day for a week here on my blog.  If you have any ideas send them to me!   Feel free to join me in this week-long experiment.

Today I’ll make a list from A-Z.  Continue reading →

Wise Mary Poppins

Posted on by
Reply

Have you watched a movie you had watched a hundred times as a child and caught lines you never noticed before?  Or at least the meaning of those words had flown right over your head as you sat caught up in the story or what was happening on-screen?  Consider the story of Mary Poppins.  She was one wise gal and seemed to always have just the right thing to say.  You know, like “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” and “well begun is half done” and my favorite:  “Close your mouth, Michael.  We are not a codfish.”  One of the things she said in the Disney movie that I missed as a child is “Enough is as good as a feast”.   In other words – stop your grousing, be happy with what you have and don’t ask for more.

Our human nature, from a very early age, causes us to cry out “more, more!” all throughout our growing up years and sometimes on and on, even when we’re “grown ups.”

Give a child a trip to the store and they want a candy bar, too.  Give them a candy bar and they want a slushee to go with it.  Continue reading →

refocus, redirect, remember

Posted on by
1

I’m learning lots of lessons lately and have been thinking about them, trying to process them, mulling over them so they will sink in and take root in my heart.  Here are two that God’s been bringing me through this week:

Lesson #1:  Contentment.  True contentment in God.  How many times have I said or sung that God is all I need?  Many, many times.  When it comes down to possibly never buying a house or having some material things that before seemed like “givens” in life, however, does my heart change its tune?  Can I hold onto that claim when my paradigm is shifting?  Just because I’ve always thought something doesn’t necessarily make it true or necessary, I’m learning.  It’s been time for me to put my money where my mouth is in regard to relying on God and being content with just Him and what He provides.  We may not be able to buy a house for a year or so, or several years due to the situation we find ourselves in.  Does that matter?  Really?  Continue reading →