Do you have any experiences with the Contentment chapter to share? What action steps have you tried? What stories do you have about the need for contentment in your life? What encouragement can you offer to other readers on the contentment portion of their journey?
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Katie Brazelton & Shelley Leith
C0-Authors
11 comments:
The Daily Drudge on p.229 made me laugh. By the way, the drudge for the computer tech is waiting like a Maytag repairman. Also, we techs need to hunt down updates for existing software and research new technology. :)
I also really appreciated the encouragement to stop and enjoy the "now" rather than focusing on the future and missing the blessing. (p.231)
Oh, I almost forgot... I LOVED the Matthew Henry quote on page 238! I would love to have that type of mindset. I will begin praying for it, immediately!
It is so divine how my steps have been ordered to fit my character makeover. Just before diving into contentment, I happened to be reading the "Why Not Me?" chapter in A Grace Disguised. It gave the contentment chapter's cornerstone of thankfulness more height...and depth. Gratitude for what's not fair brought me contentment beyond measure. It's not fair, but I AM grateful I made the list of people who don't have a life threatening illness, an empty belly, a father who beats me, a pimp who exploits me. It's not fair, but I am grateful I am among those who don't know what it's like to be raped, divorced, orphaned or sold into slavery...
I really appreciated Chris's contentment with MS, Shelley's family's spending fast story found in the on-line extra tools and the prayer to "Help me to start receiving Your provision for my true, underlying needs by rejoicing with others, loving others, and trusting You." (Pg 226). It doesn't get any better than this.
Day 32 - Thanking God
Once again I am a little behind on writing. I am still a little under the weather and I accidentally overbooked myself. Have you ever done that? Told someone that you would do something and then planned something else not realizing you already had plans? I have never really done it to this magnitude before and praise God that after tomorrow it will all be back to normal!
On to the chapter. In case you have not guessed, it was about contentment. Let me be honest with you. (I have been so far, why stop now right?) Contentment is something I used to have a HUGE issue with. I had problems finding contentment in life. I really am not sure that until the past few years I really knew what that word even meant!
Over the years I have learned to be comfortable with who I am and where I am in my life. I wish I could say that there was some magical formula that I followed or a pill that I took, but alas, there was not. I cannot even pinpoint the moment that it happened. It just did.
For me, I think that it was the journey that God has led me through in my life. I have been through valleys and deserts. I have seen paradise and mountain tops. God has really shown me a lot in my relatively short time here on earth. I know feast and I know famine. I know light and cozy, but I also know dark and cold.
No matter what comes in life now, I know it could be worse. It has been worse. In those desert places, it still could have been worse then what it was.
There are times when I grow discontent. I think my world is crashing to an end or things just cannot get any worse. Do you know what I do when that happens? I know it sounds funny, but I turn on the news or Jerry Springer. Five minutes of either one and I quickly realize, my life is really not that bad at all!
Nellie ;~)
Day 33 - Envy Exposing your Inner Veruca Salt
I really need to take a moment here to point out the irony of today’s title. Just the other day I used Veruca as an example, not knowing that the author would just a few short days later, use the same example! How funny is that.
As you can see, I am still a little behind on my writing, but I plan to catch up today. My cold seems to linger and I poop out a little faster then normal. On to envy!
As I have stated previously, I can relate to Veruca. I want it now. That is because I am impatient. However, I do not envy. Oh I used to. Lucky for me that envy green matches my red hair.
I have family members and friends who live in big beautiful homes and make way more money then I do. I am surrounded by people who have the 2.5 kids that I so desperately want. People have jobs and ministries where I think I might like to have the same. However, I don’t envy them, not anymore.
Want to know my secret? What to know my magical cure? Okay, I will tell you, but I am pretty sure you will not believe me when I tell you…..
Listening.
That’s it. I listen to what others say.
When you look at the surface its easy to think the house is beautiful. The marriage is perfect. The children will be the next Nobel Peace Prize winners. The eyes may be the window to the soul, but they can also be deceptive.
Often times, we get so wrapped up in our envy, that we fail to hear what the people say. It seems that envy can sometimes give us a case of selective hearing. Often times we hear the “Darling, let me tell of this delicious pair of boots I got from Tony Burch. They are to die for!” At that point envy kicks in and we don’t hear the next sentence. “My credit card is now maxed out” “My husband is going to be so angry with me. He said if I continue to shop this way, he was going to leave me”
We often get so consumed with our envy, we don’t see the big picture. The house is big, but the marriage is bad. The car is expensive and sporty, but they live from paycheck to paycheck. The children look perfect, but they are failing in school and the parents don’t care.
Please do not think I am putting anyone down, or implying that I am better off then anyone else. Believe me, my life has faults as well! I have made my fair share of mistakes, and no one should envy me or my life at all. I just think that if you take a moment to listen and see the big picture, you will often times find that it is difficult to be envious.
Nellie ;~)
Day 35 - Your Contentment Coach
Today’s Chapter talked all about being content and asked many thought provoking questions about how content you really are.
Today, I am not going to spend much time focusing on contentment and what it is or how to get it. To be honest, I don’t have the answers to those questions.
I am however, going to take a moment to talk about how, as I did the exercises, I learned I am much more content with my life now then I was in the past.
Growing up I was never happy with my life. I moved A LOT. My father had difficulty holding a job down when I was young. My mother worked two jobs. I moved between my parents and grandparents every couple of months. I grew up in poor neighborhoods and although I did not have it as rough as someone in a third world country, I had a lot less then those I went to school with.
The short and sweet of it: I HATED life.
This is not the case now. How did it change? I don’t know. When did it change? Not a clue. Since coming to know the Lord, life has changed. I have changed.
Several weeks ago, it was laid on my heart that I have a lot of stuff. I went through my entire house from top to bottom, even pulled out the holiday decorations in the attic. I cleared out all that was not a necessity and took my house and life back to basics. It truly was a liberating experience.
Something that was asked of us in today’s lesson was to make a list of all our heart desired. We were to imagine we were sitting on the knee of God and were able to ask Him for anything we wanted. We were not to be shy. We were to list everything from housekeepers to hair color. I racked my brain. I was going to go hog wild. I was going to let it all hang out. In the end, there were only four items. Big items but only four.
They were:
Enough money to stay at home and be the housewife my husband would like me to be.
My bills to be paid off.
A child who is happy and healthy.
A new couch.
Some people may look at that list and think it was a lot. Others may find it too short. I myself, am proud of my list. At one time it would have been filled with all kinds of wild and crazy things. I would have looked just like that picture of Santa with that really long naughty and nice list. (Minus the beard of course. Who knows, I might look cute in the red suit)
I thought hard. I was going to go all out, but that was all I could come up with. And you know what? If none of these ever come to fruition, I’m okay with it.
Isn’t it amazing how once Christ steps in, your life changes? Your attitude changes? Your vision changes?
Nellie ;~)
Day 36 - Action Plans
It’s that time again to pick actions I think I can work on over the week. I am still feeling under the weather so I am not sure how well I will actually stick to any of these, but I am going to try. Remember, I am not trying them just for a week, but I am trying to make them life patterns.
I will be thankful.
I am going to try to find something to be thankful for in all situations. I have started carrying a journal with me and I am going to start logging things that I come across that I am grateful for.
I will genuinely compliment someone.
I already try to do this, to some extent. However, I am going to try a little harder. This is the problem I have run into. I am ever the smart joker type and often when I compliment someone, they are waiting for the punch line. For example, when I must call my boss and tell him about a problem, I usually start with something positive like “did I ever tell you that you were my favorite boss?’ He knows I am joking, but because of that I often find that people are waiting for something to follow the compliment.
I will develop myself.
I am going to try to develop new hobbies and new interests. Like this ministry for instance.
I will engage in recreation.
I am really not sure what I am going to engage in at the moment, however I am going to try to get out of the house and go on an outing every month. I get Southern Living magazine and they often times have articles on things to do in our area. Also, I always try to make not of upcoming events I see on TV and hear on the radio. I am going to start going to some of those events.
I will rest.
Rest??? What is that??? I will be honest, I am not sure but I have every intention of finding out what it is and doing it!!!! In fact since I am still under the weather, I am going to practice right now!
Nellie ;~)
Character Makeover Week Six Action Step Update…
During week 6, I picked the following action steps:
1. I will be thankful.
2. I will genuinely compliment someone.
3. I will develop myself.
4. I will engage in recreation.
5. I will rest.
I want to point something out that I just noticed. The first action step I chose this particular week was to be thankful. It was also the fourth thing I picked on week four. I think it is very interesting that not only did I pick it twice, but I moved it up the ladder of importance.
I have had a bit of a struggle with complimenting. You see, I am a bit sarcastic and a jokester. Because of that, many people have been waiting for a punch line after the compliment. People have been a bit confused when there was no punch line to follow.
Development of self…does the extra five pounds gained from late night ice cream count? If so mission accomplished! Seriously, I have only put thought into this, no actions as of yet. I have been really trying to figure out what about myself I wish to develop. Where I wish to go, what I want to do. Maybe by next update, there will be more on this front.
Recreation is something we often associate with exercise and as we have established, I have done nothing else with that as well.
Resting is something I have done a lot of lately, but not willingly. In fact recently I have been working or resting, and not much else. I suppose this is why not much has been accomplished on some of these action steps. For several weeks, I had a cold I just could not shake. Now I have been having back problems. I am determined to keep going, but sometimes by the end of the work day, I can just go no further.
As I sit here writing I am faced with confliction. Part of me feels guilty because many of these action steps I have done nothing with. However, part of me is filled with joy because I have not beat myself over the head to get them accomplished. Allow me to explain.
I am the type of person that once I set my mind to something, I will work myself to the brink of death it seems to accomplish my goal. Part of me is thankful that is not the case now!
Until next time…
Nellie
Character Makeover Week Six Action Step Update…
During week 6, I picked the following action steps:
1. I will be thankful.
2. I will genuinely compliment someone.
3. I will develop myself.
4. I will engage in recreation.
5. I will rest.
I want to point something out that I just noticed. The first action step I chose this particular week was to be thankful. It was also the fourth thing I picked on week four. I think it is very interesting that not only did I pick it twice, but I moved it up the ladder of importance.
I have had a bit of a struggle with complimenting. You see, I am a bit sarcastic and a jokester. Because of that, many people have been waiting for a punch line after the compliment. People have been a bit confused when there was no punch line to follow.
Development of self…does the extra five pounds gained from late night ice cream count? If so mission accomplished! Seriously, I have only put thought into this, no actions as of yet. I have been really trying to figure out what about myself I wish to develop. Where I wish to go, what I want to do. Maybe by next update, there will be more on this front.
Recreation is something we often associate with exercise and as we have established, I have done nothing else with that as well.
Resting is something I have done a lot of lately, but not willingly. In fact recently I have been working or resting, and not much else. I suppose this is why not much has been accomplished on some of these action steps. For several weeks, I had a cold I just could not shake. Now I have been having back problems. I am determined to keep going, but sometimes by the end of the work day, I can just go no further.
As I sit here writing I am faced with confliction. Part of me feels guilty because many of these action steps I have done nothing with. However, part of me is filled with joy because I have not beat myself over the head to get them accomplished. Allow me to explain.
I am the type of person that once I set my mind to something, I will work myself to the brink of death it seems to accomplish my goal. Part of me is thankful that is not the case now!
Until next time…
Nellie
Contentment
Like on Chris’s story with her multiple scleroses, she was thankful about still being able to hug her kids even with her condition. I strongly agree that contentment is a choice.
When I thank for the strengths I have, when I thank the moment of the life rather than thinking about the past that I cannot correct or the future I cannot control, when I thank on what I have than what I do not have, when I thank on who I am than compare to others, my gratitude to the Lord leads to contentment and immeasurable Joy and Peace.
It's been really good to reflect on the things I'm thankful for and the things that are positive in different situations-- particularly in my working life. I've found the pull between work and home a real stress bag, and this week I've been seeing how I can spend my time at work glorifying God by doing my best rather than fantasizing about quitting or whinging about what's going wrong.
Positive baby step in the right direction. (Day 3 however,again, did not disappoint, with a massive pastoral issue that could have thrown up a bubble of discontent!) I really loved the prayer about the roller coaster and enjoying the ride, hanging on for dear life, screaming and making it to the end. I totally identified with that word picture!
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