Contentment.....a work in progress.

Well it was back to work today and work was well the norm for me; however, I wish I was able to really explain to everyone what the norm is for my job. I can't really give any details of my job on here because my blog is public, but if you are ever curious you should ask me and I can make up some names to keep confientiality and tell you a few stories. I guess all I can say is the norm for my job would be far from the norm of most jobs, but in a good way! I never really feel like I have a dull day and I really love my job. But anyways....I read 2nd Thessalonians tonight and no offense to Paul but I just wasn't really feeling anything pull me in that book....soooo....I went on to read 1st Timothy and found something towards the very end that is very familiar to me, but I thought I would share it because it took awhile for me to actually really understand it and begin to follow what it speaks about......1 Timothy 6:6-8 "Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing let us be content." My Mom always would say, "ya can't take anything with when ya leave." And of course I would always reply, "yea, I know," but inside was still having the same desires for things that really didn't matter. It's so easy to slip into the want, want, want mentality with all of the advertisements in our faces every day that are telling us how things are going to make life easier, make us happier, prettier, etc. etc. For those of us that have ventured down that path that comes from believing any part of these claims, we all know that the claims are simply false. There is no material thing that will make you feel permanently happier, prettier, etc. No material things can bring contentment! Contentment can only begin to come when you realize that material things are no part of it and that only your relationship with God and your faith can lead you there because it is the only thing that lasts forever. A very good friend who gave me the Bible I know use wrote this, "Stand firm upon this rock, it's the only truth that lasts forever." How true that is! Everything else will fade away, but His truth will last forever! Through the past 2 years I have been working towards this contentment. I began perging many of my material things.....just as an example: I started with over 60 pairs of shoes/sandals and now I have narrowed myself down to 18 pairs. It's ok, you can laugh, I know I am kinda rediculous....my Dad always calls me Imelda Marcos. But NEways....Perging of my personal belongings felt so good! I did feel much better aftewards, BUT it doesn't mean I never desire to get more things. I still desire different things especially since I LOVE fashion, but I just have to balance things. For example, I set limits on myself with clothing....not in the way of money because if you know me, I can find a deal anywhere....but more so in the amount of things I keep in my closet. If I do get more clothing then I have to get rid of something. This makes things easier because I usually tend to really like the things I have, so I can't get new things unless I am willing to get rid of something that I already have. For this reason I have not gotten a new handbag in quite awhile. :o) The handbags I already have are kind of awesome. :o) This passage also brought something else to mind....while growing up whenever my Dad would pray he would also thank God for what we had and always said that we had so much.....if you knew how I grew up you would probably understand why I was so baffled....(very large family, living on one very small income, hand-me-downs galore, poor in comparison to all of my friends)....I just thought my Dad was a little crazy to be honest. I always thought now how in the world is my Dad considering us to be rich?? Well let's just say I have experienced more since those days and it turns out my Dad was actually right! I have seen that compared to people in other areas we actually were rich materially, but more importantly I realized that we were rich in our relationship with God!....like the verse said, "true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth." Oh, and did I forget to mention my Dad was a pastor and I still questioned things he said often....haha, funny stuff. Well anyways I think I have babbled on enough for one night, hope you can follow it. May God's grace be with you.