Extending Thanks-Giving...

Lately, God has been answering my prayers with one thing......
Contentment.
Having a spirit of contentment about where I am in life with my husband,
my children, my career and job-titles, the city I call 'home' and the structure that is our house,
the people we have in our lives, our fiscal circumstances, the time we have together.....
I could literally go on and on and on.

No matter how I pray about these things, no matter what words I use that make me feel I
am praying about something OTHER than that on this long list...He just keeps shaking
his head...looking at me like maybe I have some kind of hearing-damage He's unaware of, even
though that's not possible.

'BE CONTENT.' CONTENT. C-O-N-T-E-N-T.
'Ok, Lord...I get it! You of all people should know spelling was a forte for me in school.' ;P
But then, WHY...why on earth, even as clearly spelled out as He's making His answer for me
am I actually NOT 'getting it?!! '
Sure, I know at times I can be a hyper-listener (I think I get that from my sweet mama) ;) ...but
come on, I really am hearing you, Lord. I just.......
I just... don't want to be, I suppose.

*Lightbulb...ON.*

Did Jesus ever say that contentment was an easy thing? I challenge you to look through your entire
bible and find a book, a verse, a single line where we're promised a content spirit.
K, now stop wasting your time and go do something more productive cause it's not there.

In fact, we are absolutely surrounded by the very opposite.
Everywhere we look, we are teased, taunted...tormented by the media, society and just the
general worldly mindset that we 'must' acquire *insert earthly possession here* in order to have
'what we need.'

You want to have people's respect?
Well, you'd better get yourself into LOADS of debt so you can have that fancy car that will do so.
You want to impress people?
Well, you'd better buy that brand-new, just-on-the-market technological-device that no one else has, yet...even if it means going into more debt.
You want to have more kids or have people over to entertain 'properly?'
Well, you'd better move up to that great big house with that great big price-tag, even if it means risking 'living beyond your means' and utterly depending on that monthly paycheck that keeps you working for 12-hrs a day, 5 days a week.

Seriously. But no.....
SERIOUSLY.
No wonder our nation owes trillions of dollars and no wonder there's such a huge command of nationwide depression.

CONTENTMENT.

One. Simple. Word.

The dictionary says: contentment---the chosen state of being satisfied.
Chosen.
C-H-O-S-E-N. *Told ya I can spell. ;)

The question is not am I listening for God's answer. Oh, I heard it.
The question is when am I going to stop asking him and start heeding what He keeps telling me?

Well...that answer is:
RIGHT. NOW.

How about you???


'Keep your lives free from the love of money and things and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you.'
~Hebrews 13:5