Choosing Contentment

My tiny kitchen on a good day.

This week was my breaking point with our home. My kitchen was over flowing with dirty dishes, bins with specialty mixes and foods for our kids with food allergies. The kids were not getting along and all I could think about is how nice it would be to have a big yard the kids could run around in and a house that had enough storage for our things. As Donald walked through the door from work, I blurted out "Can't we sell this place, or rent it out and rent a bigger house? We don't fit anymore!" To which his reply was an understandable "No, sweetie we cannot."

Our home was built in 1974 it is made to fit a family of 4 maybe 5. We are a family of 7. Most days we make it work, some days the house wins. As I fussed about our family size in relation to our house size my Heavenly Father gently reminded me that we own our home, it keeps us dry, warm/cool and safe. We have been blessed enough to stay here the past 8 years, so it is where we have raised our children and will continue to do so. It gives them roots and for that I am grateful. In 1 Timothy 6:6-8 this is what God has to say about contentment  6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out . 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. Nowhere in this passage does God mention a large showy home, He says if we have food and clothing let us be content, how much more have I been blessed with? So this week I have been decluttering, reorganizing and choosing contentment. Contentment, being positive and upbeat is truly a choice. We can focus on what we think we are lacking or we can see the beauty and gifts that we are blessed with daily. God only gives us one life, I don't want to waste it focusing on junk.