Logan and I were reading in our history book today (that was before he got me to continue to read another story to him, that sneak!) that God sent the Israelites into the desert for them to learn about just how great He is. Some may beg to differ. I have to agree. I am still learning how much I can depend on Him, and Him alone. When I have exhausted all the angles, He steps in and lets me know that He was just waiting for me to step out of the way so His work stands. I always love that one.
But I digress... Although not completely! After all, there is a reason why my family and I are making the 6 hour trek up to Quebec this year to spend CHRISTmas with Tom's family up there. I get so stuck thinking about my petty things (and they are not petty to me by all means, they are monumental at the moment they happen) when all I have to do is to step aside. There is a saying in our house, God's got it! I truly believe that. After all, I have a house! I have furniture! I have a Christmas tree!
Whenever I write (and those of you waiting for cards, sorry, but I don't write) I learn things about myself. Lately I have been really thinking about that contentment. I think at Christmas we can get so focused on the things (yes I certainly can!!) that we forget about being content. Does being content have to do with me being happy? I used to think so. But lately as I write another story (that's 22 for those who are counting) I find that contentment has nothing to do with the circumstance I'm in. I guess to some degree it does, but that real contentment, the one that I feel deep in my heart, that comes only from one source. And that source humbled Himself and was born of man, and we celebrate that He came every year.
When things don't go my way (shocker! I know) I still have the ability to be content. I can choose to throw a hissy fit (yeah that never happens) or I can just know that this isn't what is going to happen in my life. Sometimes it's real easy to throw a hissy fit (wouldn't know about that, you understand all this is hypothetical). But as I'm about to blow my top, do I take a moment to think about how my blowing my top affects others? Myself?
Of course not!
So, I wish you contentment. Real contentment this year. It's worth the persuit. Happiness is just circumstantial. Joy and contentment are a much deeper, more lasting thing. And I celebrate the chance to have joy and contentment because Christ was born in a manger. No, He wasn't born on Christmas day! But that doesn't matter to me. He was born, in a food troth for animals. And He gives me a chance to live beyond the happiness, to be content. That does it for me!
Have a wonderful Christmas. And to my friends and family in Germany I wish them all a Frohe Weihnachten. I miss you all!
