Christmas and contentment

Dec. 17 – wow, it’s been a crazy couple weeks.  First off, William was gone for a couple weeks – from Wed. early morning to late Sat. night Dec 4-7 and then again the 10^th – 14^th in Alamosa doing a tile job  with John.  After that first week, he came back with his hands I great pain – he didn’t use gloves to do this tile job and his finger tips and hands were all cut up from the ceramic tiles.  We coated them in bag balm – a healing wonder for sure.  I used to use that stuff on my cows back in the 70’s and now we use this stuff for every cut and sore (works wonders on cuticles too!)  He took that stuff with him that 2^nd week, along with some heavy duty hand cream.  His hands weren’t so sore that next week.  I hope he gets paid today real well for all that work – we’re way behind on several bills.

I spent the last couple weeks getting the store and several projects ready for the big event on the 14^th – one of the people that comes in on a regular basis so her granddaughter can paint, gave me a gingerbread house kit, so I set it up and invited everyone who came in to help decorate it – several people had fun with this.

I sold a painting on the 13^th and some art supplies on the 14^th.   The big Christmas event downtown seemed to be a big success – tons of people came for it – I probably had around 60 people come through my shop that day.   I had advertized that we would be doing two main things that day, painting a snowy mountain scene and making Christmas cards – both were very popular – I haven’t taught that many people painting at one time since I retired from teaching in 2007.  I managed quite well – I haven’t forgotten how to do it.   I even had to have some help that day, Justin came in with his friend Phillip – I had taught Phillip how to do the snowy mountain scene last week in preparation for his help – good thing – he did quite well teaching others.  

I also called in Tiffany to help only while Kayla and I were at the elementary school playing our music – Kayla played the violin and I the flute and we did a few pieces including Pachelbell’s cannon – it turned out quite well; unfortunately, since the music was played in the school’s gym along with craft vendors – it wasn’t very quiet and our music wasn’t heard very well.  But, it was especially good for Kayla, since she hadn’t played in a concert for 3 years.

As I was doing my devotionals this morning, I really liked what this one had to say:

Our Daily Bread, Sept. 5, 2013, 1 Tim 6:6-12

“As I stepped into the restaurant parking lot after lunch, I saw a pickup truck speeding through the parked vehicles.  While observing the driver’s reckless behavior, I noticed the words on the truck’s front license plate.  It read, “Almost Content.”  After thinking about that message and the sentiment it tried to communicate, I concluded that the concept “almost content” doesn’t exist.  Either we are content or we are not.

Admittedly, contentment is a tough needle to thread.  We live in a world that feeds our desire for more and more – until we find it almost impossible to be content with anything.  But this is nothing new.  The book of Hebrews addressed this issue, saying, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.  For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (13:5).  The only remedy for hearts that “want it all” is the contentment found in the presence of the living God.  He is sufficient for our needs and longings, and He alone can bring us the peace and contentment we’ll never find in the pursuits of this life. 

Almost content?  There is no such thing.  In Christ we can know true contentment. – Bill Crowder

What I love about this is that it is so true.  I am more content, happy, joyful now with less than I ever was before when I lived the “middle-class lifestyle”.   It really is true, when you have Jesus, you don’t need anything else – it sounds so cliché, but Jesus does provide ALL your needs, and when you are content with what He provides, it makes going through hard times even joyful.  I find that I am blessed every day and say so, no matter what happens.  I may not enjoy some things, but that doesn’t take away the choice – the choice to be joyful no matter what.