Contentment.

Can any of you relate to this quote?

"What controls your heart controls your behavior. Once that treasure is in possession of your heart, it will set the agenda for your words and decisions, for your actions, reactions, and responses. . . ."

I certainly can, and I share it here because I'm sure that everyone can relate in some way. I also share it because I have been reminded recently of how true this principle really is, and I've been challenged to examine my "treasures".


Brad and I just completed some updates to our house, things that we have been wanting to do since we moved in a year and a half ago. It's very nice to have some new things, but we've realized through the process that one new thing often leads to wanting another new thing.

I realized my unfortunate agenda yesterday when Brad and I received an unexpected check in the mail, to which my first reaction was "oh, now we can get ..."!

After a minute or two of talking about prices, Brad and I both just looked at each other, like "what are we thinking?!"

I wasn't even thankful. I just wanted more.

Have you found that sometimes buying just leads to more discontentment? What are your ways for remaining content?

Here are some things I've found to be helpful. Yesterday I was definitely doing a few of these things, and I was left feeling sad about my attitude and thankful for all the ways in which we're already very blessed.


- reminding myself of what the Lord thinks of greed (Col 3:5), and praying for a healthy perspective.

- talking to and trusting the judgment of the hubby, who is very reasonable about "things"

- surrounding myself with people who don't focus on material things. Not that they don't have nice things, but it's not the focus of conversation or of time together. I am very grateful to our church and to academics for friends like this.

- limiting time spent in stores, on websites, and around people who I know from experience will leave me feeling unhappy and wanting more.

- waiting before buying. It's much more rewarding to save up for something than to buy it on impulse and regret it later. I've learned this the hard way.

- purposefully enjoying something free! a good run, a book already on my shelf, time with friends, my dogs, etc.



I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this...

Pick-a-little-Talk-a-little

I need bigger earphones, or another table. Two unhappy middle-aged women to my left are screeching, squawking on about some friend's son's wife's sister.

"kids these days" one just said.

pick-a-little-talk-a-little-pick-a-little-talk-a-little.

Why are some women so prone to talk talk talk, to degrade “friends” and to encourage each other to hate their enemies?

Please lord let us be people who aim to “guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride” by clearing our minds and holding our tongues.

Now they're talking politics. Really... somebody shoot me.

Why God Wills Work.

Some excellent thoughts from John Piper on why we work. I first read this on a day that my work was wearing me down, and it was a real blessing. So, I thought I'd pass it along!


1. To glorify God and to increase our joy.

"The first reason God wills work is because when we work in reliance on his power and according to his pattern of excellence, his glory is made known and our joy is increased.... the essence of our work as humans must be that it is done in conscious reliance on God's power, as a conscious quest of God's pattern of excellence, and in deliberate pursuit of God's glory... When you work like this—no matter what your vocation is—you can have a sweet sense of peace at the end of the day."

2. To provide for our needs

"The second reason God wills work is that by working we provide for our legitimate needs. God has not completely removed the curse in this age. He has softened it with a promise. The curse says: If you want to eat, you must sweat (Genesis 3:19). The promise says: If you sweat, you shall eat (Proverbs 12:11)"

3. To provide for the needs of other

"The third reason God wills work is that by working we provide for the needs of those who can't provide for their own. The promise that if you sweat, you shall eat is not absolute. The drought may strike your village in sub-Sahara Africa; thieves may steal what you've earned; disability may cut your earning power. All that is part of the curse which sin brought onto the world. But God in his mercy wills that the work of the able-bodied in prosperous times supply the needs of the helpless, especially in hard times."

4. To build bridges for the Gospel

"Finally, God wills work as a way of building bridges for the gospel. In our work we are usually in the world. We rub shoulders with unbelievers.... When we enter our work in a spirit of humble trust in God and love for others, the truth of Christ will be adorned and bridges will be built for the gospel."

(taken from www.desiringgod.org)

New Testament religion

I was talking to my sweet friend yesterday about how if we live in a state of prayer that asks God to make his will our true longing, then we can begin to trust our desires as a form of God's leading and communication.

This conversation really blessed me, and then this morning I read something by A.W. Tozer that seemed to reemphasize this point. I thought I'd share it with you, as it's comforting, and so true!

"God is a person, and in the deep of His mightly nature, He thinks, wills, enjoys, feels, loves, desires, and suffers as any other person may. In making Himself known to us, He stays by the familiar pattern of personality. He communicates with us through the avenues of our minds, our wills and our emotions. The continuous and unembarrassed interchange of love and thought between God and the soul of the redeemed man is the throbbing heart of New Testament religion."

Thank you, Jesus.