Those of you in my generation might remember a song with the lyrics, "We gotta get out of this place. If it's the last thing we ever do. We gotta get out of this place. Cause girl there's a better life for me an you..." I've been feeling a lot like this over the past year, so recently, I've been talking to Byron about moving out of our area to a smaller town, a larger piece of land, and somewhere there are more definite seasons with less sweltering heat. I have not been content with what we have here.
There are many things we can be discontent about in our lives. Our bodies, our families, our friends, our finances, our home, or our weather. The list can be endless. Lately, I have been discontent with living in central Florida. Our neighborhood is an old one and not getting better. Our city is expanding exponentially with a lot of growth out our way and our climate is crazy hot. While my Michigan friends are hibernating in winter, I hibernate in summer to dodge the heat. I have not been happy about my surroundings. Because this mama hasn't been happy, Byron and I have been looking for property further north for a few months to see if there's any other place we might want to live. So far nothing has clicked.
I think part of my discontent is due to growing older. I don't want to stay where we are until it's really bad and we are too old to do any changing. I don't want to miss anything in my life. But then how do we pick up and move hundreds of miles away from our kids, grandkids, friends and the house that Byron built nearly 40 years ago? You know the one with all the memories of my children packed inside? The hallway they ran as young kids. The bathroom they bathed in as kids every night before bed and where Holly got ready for her wedding. The kitchen they fixed snacks in or where we all ate dinner every night together. How do we pack up and walk away just because something might change later on?
Truth is, we don't. I have decided along with Byron that I need to come to grips with where we are. Home. To relax. To settle in. I've put off doing some things here because I wasn't sure what our plan was going to be about our future. So to change this, today we ordered a chicken coop. We are getting backyard chickens again! I've missed having them but because of the responsibility that comes along with them, I have avoided doing it. Yes, it's a tie here but mostly it's just because I just really like chickens and I don't want to do without them just because of what plans we "might" consider. I have put this off for quite a while so this is my first step in settling in here and now.
I am not naturally a content person. I believe we learn or develop a sense of contentment in our lives. I'm still going to have to practice contentment. When I get that frantic feeling that I'm missing out on something important or fun, I have been closing my eyes for a few seconds, taking a deep breath, slowing myself down inside and whispering, "Dear God, help me be content here." In just a short time, my frantic self relaxes and I am once again enjoying my life and this place.
My goal is just this: to be content in all things through Christ. How content we are helps determine how happy we are with our lives. I'm still working on myself. It sure is a long process but I'm not doing it alone. My father is right here with me. I pray for God's peace and contentment for you all, too.
"Not that I speak from [any personal] need, for I have learned to be content [and self-sufficient through Christ, satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or uneasy] regardless of my circumstances." Philippians 4:11 AMP
Suzanne
