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Every trial has a treasure...
Every triumph holds His truth
Welcome!
So glad you took a moment to receive a Splash of Inspiration in
the midst of a hurried world.
Christmas Contentment —A bit impatient, Hubby
and I stood in line at a crowded department store. In the midst of
shopper’s conversations and Christmas melodies, a child’s persistent
pleading wailed from behind us.
“Why can’t I have it? That’s all I want…I don’t want anything else.”
None of his parents’ reasoning lessened his determination nor
quieted his whining. His persistency was so relentless that I
imagined him having a bright future as a telemarketer.
But what really bothered me was the familiarity of the scenario.
Christmas used to be seasoned with pleas from our kids to get
them that one more toy. We weren’t perfect parents; we gave in
sometimes. But why wouldn’t we? Just like our kids, we’d fallen for
the popular competitive race. It used to be called “Keeping up with
the Joneses,” but now the Jones family is bankrupt. You’d think we
would have learned, but no. I would put on my running shoes, slip on
my headband, and put on my T-shirt that read, “Heading to Win - I’m
on a Mission,” and dash off to the finish line. Anxious voices
cheered me on: “Get the best, gather more, and grab every
opportunity!” That included indulging our sons so they too would be
a tinge above the competition. Finally, with wobbly knees, I reached
that elusive finish line. But to my disappointment, rather than
contentment, another finish line awaited. There was ALWAYS another
finish line to reach.
Competition often throws us into the compare snare. And caught in
its web, contentment is as elusive as snowflakes in Orlando. Way
back in 1927 poet Max Ehrmann wrote, “If you compare yourself with
others, you may become vain and bitter.” Now, years later and with a
bit of wisdom flickering in me, I broke loose from that snare. By
replacing competition with contentment, stress is greatly reduced. I
learned this from a pretty great guy. He found contentment in ways
foreign to most of us. He’d been in prison, beaten, insulted, and
even left for dead, yet, he found real contentment. How did he do
it? Paul is his name and he wrote a letter revealing his secret. “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 Christ who gives me strength.”
(Philippians 4:12-13) The “Christ” in Christmas is what gives us the
strength to change competition to contentment. So, while sipping on
a cup of hot apple cider, I’ll ponder on this truth: Contentment
ushers in, not when reaching goals, but when receiving His grace
while on the journey.
Janet Perez Eckles--Faith
and Love with a Latin Flair
For nuggets of inspiration, visit me at:
http://www.janetperezeckles.com |
