At the time of my writing this, we, like many across the U.S., are bracing for unusually frigid weather. Texas children have been known to play outside on Christmas day in shorts and t-shirts. This year, none of the women I know were really able to get any wear out of their cute Christmas sweaters–It was 80 degrees for much of the Christmas season in our part of the state.
But over the next 12 hours, temperatures will drastically drop, and freezing rain and snow are predicted. We hardly know how to act when this happens, and our state shuts down due to lack of snow-clearing equipment and drivers who don’t have cars outfitted for driving in these conditions. We won’t even talk about how inexperienced native Texans are at driving on snow and ice, but it makes perfect sense. Our winters are generally mild, but don’t worry–our summers toughen us up pretty quickly!
I think most of us are happy to have a forced slow down. I’ve been thinking lately about contentment, about the desire that I have to really live in the moment and enjoy it for what it is. I think I used to be better at this when my kids were all very small, when our world wasn’t much bigger than the size of our tiny living room. In those days, it was easy for me to see the magic of little souls unfurling like tiny blossoms in front of me. I often felt real gratitude for my day-to-day.
As kids age and we parents age, sometimes it’s more difficult to see the beauty in hectic days of activities and homework and scholarship applications and a giant world of responsibilities outside of the home. Most days I’m tired and feel like I’m barely keeping everything going. But I have felt the urging of the apostle Paul on this topic more lately: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:12-13). We don’t often hear the first part of these verses associated with the often-quoted verse 13. It’s so interesting that the final verse is often used as motivation to strive as hard as we can with God’s help to achieve the next level of success. In reality, Paul is giving God credit for teaching him how to be content, whether he’s at the top of the pile or the bottom, whether he’s feasting or starving.
Scripture teaches us that with God’s help, we are capable of enjoying real contentment in every season in life. It feels so tangible today, when I am sitting here at the beginning of a glorious two days of nowhere to go, just kids and my husband–my favorite people to be around. Contentment is right in front of me, and it’s sweet. But I don’t want to forget the feeling when next week hits and the snow melts and another busy week comes crashing into our little retreat. Contentment is available to us, anywhere and all the time.
This is my prayer for the coming months and years: Lord, help me be content in all circumstances, knowing that You give me the strength to see things through spiritual eyes. You are big enough to do even this. Give me a heart of contentment, in every season.
I love hearing from you!