Abounding Contentment

Twice in the past month friends of ours have been hospitalized for mental illness. Twice in the past couple of years we've been at the bedside of friends dying of cancer. Just recently friends, and less recently family, have buried babies. Life, and what we assume it will hold for us, is more tenuous than I think most of us realize.

I have been struck, more and more, with thanksgiving for what we have today. Health, mental and physical. Homes. Heat. Food. Clothing. Kids that are well. Spouses that are committed to marriage and love.

I find it easy to feel discontent. I am naturally a melancholy person with a gift of criticism. I can usually, and in living color, see what could be done, improvements to be made, areas to ramp up, improve upon and embellish. And frankly, we live a somewhat, if by our own choosing, complicated life- in an older house, on an acreage, homesteading to an extent, parents of 5, owner of animals. There is always something(s) not working, needing fixed, unsolvable. Always areas of discontent that we deal with daily.

But I am growing more and more content. More and more grateful. More and more, admittedly, sappy. More and more in love with my middle aged, slightly balding, bossy, intelligent, gentle, wise and hard headed husband. More and more thankful for my 5 intelligent, troublesome, always hungry, demanding, beautiful, amazing children. More and more grateful for a country that allows us freedom and choices and clean water and the privilege to disagree and bear arms and vote and worship. More and more at peace with the friends and family God has gifted me with; younger, older, beautiful and normal, brilliant and average, close by and far away.
Life is never what we expect. But for now, for this minute, it's good enough. And I thank God for that.

"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11 -13.

I pray that in whatever circumstance you find yourself in , that Christ finds you there, and all joy, all satisfaction, are yours.