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All week long, I have been wanting to share a funny story, an incident to laugh about. After the serious posts of the last few weeks, I thought, “I need to lighten this up.” However, as much as I try, God has not let a funny story walk through my door, be pulled up from the memories stacked within, or just dog-gone hoped for.
I’m not depressed or sad, no, not even mad. Of course, as a mom, that could pop up at any moment, just like that funny moment that I’ve been waiting for. My little guy did decide that he’d better not dress up dad in a racoon costume and put him outside because he was snoring too loud inside. The little guy decided that the bears might eat his dad, and he didn’t want that to happen.
Content is what I feel. Rare contentment. Like how the warm cup feels on your cold hands at a soccer game in 52 degrees and the steam warms your nose.
The tallest one of them all came off the soccer field plastered in mud. He had a good night. He needed a good night and, despite the mud and drizzle, he was everything he and I know he is. His jersey is still soaking.
The joyful one, he’s been struggling with the move, missing the familiar. He had some friends over yesterday. His roots into the community grew a little more. My mother-spirit sighed relief.
The two little guys went to the grandparents today to play with their cousins. Something like that hasn’t been an option for 18 years. We were too far away. My sweeter-than-ice-cream mother-in-law made curtains for the boys’ rooms today. How blessed am I!
I have a job I love that allows me to work from home. No more grading college student essays. No more college students who don’t want to be there, don’t want to do the work, don’t want to get an insufficient grade for doing nothing. I do miss the students who love to learn, but I so love my new job.
I am in a place God brought me. I didn’t want to come. I miss where I’ve been. Yet, I am content, quietly content, a sitting-with-a-cup-of-coffee-and-my-world-is-at-peace-contentment.
“He who dwells in the shelter of The Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91)
As most of you mothers know, that contentment rarely lasts as long as that cup of coffee, but I will feel that moment, that sustaining moment through the toe-to-toe battles, the moments where you cannot emotionally flinch, the disappointment, the brotherly bickering, the no-matter-how-hard-I-try-I-cannot-make-everyone-happy times,and my constantly disappearing Dr. Pepper bottle.
For now, I’m going to curl up in a quilt of contentment, breath it in, savor it, and rest in it.
Thank you, God, for the funny moments,
the heart moments, the proud moments,
thank you for carrying me through the hard moments
that make
all the other moments
so much
sweeter
and thank you, God,
for this contented time
of spiritual, emotional, and physical
refreshing
your writing is just beautiful to me… funny, serious or just your life…
Unfortunately I was one of those students (although not one of yours). I loved the classes, but missed the social things I could have been doing. I was far away from home, and had to create my own social support system. But I remember my teachers. And I treasure their input.
You have made an impression on those kids and they will remember you always.
I hope that you continue to have peace in the place you are in. 🙂
Contentment is something God tells us we need to have. to “learn to be content whatever the circumstances” (my paraphrased version). I think God commands it of us because it’s one of the most difficult things to do. He knows that we’ll have trouble with it so he reminds us that it’s something to strive for. Like all things he tells us to be content for our sake and not His. He knows that worry and sadness, and greed, and discontentment will just make us haggard and unable to do what we need to do. It will make us lifeless and not only bring us down but those around us. I’ve always struggled with contentment and in the past year or so God has really helped me to work on it. Not that I’m always there. I hated being pregnant and wasn’t often content with that state–and being a mom of a “newborn” has been hard and I struggle to be content here too. But in both circumstances God helps me see the beauty of the situation–the joy of the life inside me despite the morning sickness; the joy of the life at my breast despite exhaustion. In any case, thank you for the reminder. It sounds like you’re in a really good place in your life. Remember God brought you there and has your best in mind no matter the circumstances that will surely come and try to shake your foundation.
I love when the feeling of contentment takes over my life. I haven’t felt it in awhile, but I remember the feeling and it’s wonderful. 🙂
What a sweet gift from the Lord and what a sweet post! Enjoy your time of contentment and may it last so much longer than you are expecting.
Christy
Contentment. Hmmmm. It is definitely true that very few posses the virtue of contentment. And, yes, I certainly would count it a virtue as very few are successful in learning to find peace and happiness despite their circumstances and surroundings. If fact, this post is very timely, my dear friend as I am struggling right this very minute with my own contentment. You see, being confined to my home and seeing these same 4 walls ALL DAY, EVERY DAY is a very hard place to be, mentally and spiritually. I won’t kid you, I’m having a very, very hard time with it.
Maybe the Lord is telling me that I need to pray for Him to teach me how to be content with where I am instead of praying for Him to heal me and change my circumstances.
Your posts are always so thought provoking and just simply amazing.
I am sending you an email about something we talked about on Friday. Hope you can check it soon before you post tomorrow.
{{HUGS}}
Teresa <
A funny mom story would have been nice, but I truly appreciate what you wrote about instead.
Contentment.
Wars and killings and hatred and revenge… all these plus more are the results of people and nations not being content.
And you are so right, curling up under the quilt of contentment is such a beautiful picture. I can imagine you sitting by the fire on a winter evening, sipping a cup of freshly brewed coffee, while reading a favorite author unhurriedly. Your chores are done for the day, the kitchen is tidy, and your family are all quietly out of your way.
Or, it can be an entirely different picture. There is a storm brewing all around… and you have peace within. Like that bird, safe in the cleft of the rock while the cold wind blows.
For you see, contentment doesn’t happen accidentally. Its seeds are planted on purpose, tended with care, watered and looked after with tenderness. It needs time to grow.
I have learned whatever state I am, to be content.
Just like the man who wrote the hymn It is Well With My Soul over the watery grave where his daughters perished at sea… contentment is something we need to cultivate so that it can be called upon to cover us and protect us at the time we need it most!
How the enemy of this world has lied to us, saying peace peace when there is no peace!
Contentment heals our soul from ceaseless striving…giving purpose and direction to our lives.
So, I must say, dear ML… you have found a good thing. And knowing you, this wonderful, bittersweet fruit of peace has come into your heart not by chance but by your faithful choices in its direction through the days, weeks, months and years of your life.
Thank you for this post. Because my heart has learned contentment through the difficult and painful seasons of my life, I know what you are talking about. You are not talking about something external…you are talking about a settled inner peace… such a warm feeling your post has left in my heart after reading it.
Blessings of peace on you today, dear friend. May contentment continue to keep you warm in the cold winter days ahead of you.
Love
Lidj