contentment

This photo was taken by my ever talented Hub. Looking at it makes me feel content, which says alot because I am hardly ever content. I know what it is to be content...I just do not have the capability of accessing that feeling all the time.
My Hub is content most of the time and I am always in awe of his ability to feel totally content even with very little. My children come in every shape of it...the first is content 80% of the time, the second is content 99.9% of the time and the third...well she is the image of myself...content 10% of the time.
Sometimes I justify my lack of content and say that I have a competitive nature...so I am always striving towards new goals, which is fine....but how do I actually feel when I achieve my goals? Well I rarely spend much time feeling anything...I go on to set the next goal.
Now, I am not saying that goals are NOT good, or that I am a huge supporter of complacency. It is all about taking stalk of what you have, where you are going and where you are. I am sure our Olympic women's curling team would have LOVED to have been Gold medal winners...but they are silver medal winners. I wonder if they have had the chance to feel contentment with this? To be 43 and win an Olympic silver medal...or to even go to the Olympics and compete is an amazing accomplishment, isn't it? How many of us would have been content with that? I know you go there to win the gold and hear your national anthem...but once you realize that is not what happened can you find the contentment of what life has given you?
Paul states, "For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Phil 4 :11.
I am sure in many people's lives this looks easy, but no one can say that Paul had an easy go of it, yet he learned to be content.
As Christians we need to be content in knowing that God's hand is in all things. I want...more than any other want...for there to be a cure for Colton's heart. I have had times when this desire has driven me to late night searches of physicians who will offer the latest treatment. I have lost sleep and had arguments with those that love me about the lengths I am willing to go to to achieve this. In the end- once I check in with my almighty Life Coach (God)- I place this desire back into His loving hands and know ...yes I know....that He is taking care of me.
I have also suffered from materialistic wants too. I am hoping someone out there can relate to this...cuz most of my bestest friends and my Hub do not seem to be inflicted by this desire. Most have learned to be content in what they have and to set reasonable goals for themselves. I have always surrounded myself with these types of people so that I will always be reminded of the important things.
This summer I had an opportunity to visit one of my bestest friends in beautiful Kelowna. She has always been a beautiful content person- even when we were 18. When we met up she had just moved to this new town far from her friends, family and no hope of getting a job. She had already had her house robbed- a story she only recalls when we asked what is up with the video surveillance at her house. Yet she greeted us with wide open arms and was enthusiastic to hear of our adventures.
She has never been one to focus on the negative, instead she invites us to sit in her back yard and have a glass of wine as we over look the mountain view. She tells me how they harvested some popcorn this year. I asked her how much....she said enough for one large bowl for all of us to share. Wasn't that alot of work for one bowl? Not to her...to her that was a small success that they shared as a family. She has had disappointments, but these do not consume her and they will not deter her. Sure she wants and needs a job, but she has been patient in knowing it will all come in time and has taken this time off to do things she would otherwise not be able to.
That is just one of my friends...Char, Louise, Becci and Claudia all have likewise shown what it means to just be content in what you have. I feel so blessed to have them in my life to remind me of the little things that can bring contentment. I am especially content when I spend time with my friends, my Hub, my children and my God!
Taa taa for now!
Kimmy