Post Holiday Reflection

As most know, yesterday was the very famous "Valentine's Day."

A day which, in our family, may consist of  a hug and a sincere phrase, "Happy Valentine's Day, I love you!"

In keeping in line with my personal goal to reflect on each day, I now realize why I do not like holidays in general.  Yes, I seem like a scrooge.  Let me explain before you throw tomatoes (Throw lots so I can make Tomato Fennel Soup)

We have homegrown and handpicked children.  Quite a few children have been adopted.  It is a tremendous blessing to have them in our family, and certainly Gods hand has planted them with us!  But, there is some baggage that we cannot control nor completely understand.  One of these issues revolves around food.  They get 3 meals plus snacks daily.  I make homemade cookies, snacks, etc.  But on these *special* days when others feel it necessary to bring many treats in the form of food, it creates a chaotic obsessive behavior in all of them.  

Imagine being taunted, hourly, all day about a particular issue.  Maybe your boss wants that report yesterday.  Maybe your spouse wanted you to finish the landscape project you started weeks ago.  Regardless of what it is, it would be exhausting to listen to this every hour.  Well, our children are wired this way right now.  Those well intentioned treats become an obsessive, compulsive, panic and will not dissipate until the demands are met with the treats.  A "responsible" parent would give them one or two at a time, but the torture continues for however many days it takes to finish all the booty.

Think about what comes at "Easter" here in the United States...Talk about candy.

By withholding the treats, they feel like their needs are not being met, but when we let them consume them, we feel that it is detrimental to their health.  A major reason for juvenile diabetes (sugar intake)

The perfect solution is only one treat per kid.  Only, to get our friends and family to embrace this idea may be difficult.  The giver still get to give, and the receiver(the children) still get to have that experience.

Is this reasonable and will it bring CONTENTMENT? 

(It would be completely outrageous to avoid the whole thing, right?)

A Process, not a destination.

Contentment.  
What does it really mean?  Websters 1913 states: 
1. The state of being contented or satisfied; content. Contentment without external honor is humility. Grew. Godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Tim. vi. 6
2. The act or process of contenting or satisfying; as, the contentment of avarice is impossible.
3. Gratification; pleasure; satisfaction
That's great..can I even have that? 


We live in a world where we are bombarded with covert messages: This item/book/trip will make you happier, satisfied, and more complete if you buy it.  
Even in the Christian realm, we are sent messages through various media that we need more!  More power, more money(to help others of course), more people to fill the church, more time, more bibles, more workers, more prayer(not a bad idea), bigger churches.
How quickly we are washed into a life of discontentment, like a tide that is going out to sea.  It pulls you under when you least expect it.  And once there, can easily be lost in the raging waves. 


It takes passion and resolve to swim back to the shore of contentment.  
The choice to stay is a moment by moment decision.  Meditate on the Truth, be alert, for  the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy.  


Be (and active verb) satisfied, happy, joyful in your circumstances, content with what you have and thankful. 


Life is a process of transformation... find contentment.