A Work in Progress

This note is coming straight from one work in progress (me) to another (you).

I don't know about you and your mom, but my mom likes to pop impromptu life lessons upon me unawares - like in the car ride to the credit union today. 

Today's words of advice? the 11th commandment.

"Be ye content."

Although, if you know my mom, this is pretty funny, the subject of contentment itself really isn't all that hilarious. It's sobering. and sometimes even painful.

What is contentment?

I'm glad you asked. I actually googled the definition of it and got a slew of synonyms…. Ready?

Contentment. 

Satisfaction. 

Joy. 

Happiness. 

Ease of mind.

Peace.

Yup, that's (in a nutshell) what contentment is.

Being satisfied or conTENT with the CONtents of your life. (notice the pronunciation difference #grammargeek)

Everyone wants that.

Some seemingly "attain" it at certain seasons of their lives.

Others outwardly "obtain" it through one venue or attainment or other.

But few perpetuate it as an ongoing basis or a way of life.

Why is that?

What does it take to be content? To be satisfied? To have ease of mind, happiness of heart, and (to quote an oldie-but-goodie Sunday school song from my childhood) have "the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart (where?) down in my heart to stay"….?

Contentment doesn't come with a job. People who don't have one, want one. People who have one, want to get out of the one they have or exchange it up for another "better" one.

It's not wrapped around a relationship. As I've found over the years, miserable single people translate into miserable married people. And miserably married people sometimes sadly translate into miserable divorced people. And on and on it goes.

It's not a geographical location. An amount of money. The right style of clothing. Or any other substitute that some people use to numb the stark reality of their lives.

It's a choice. A matter of the mind. A decision of the heart. A steadfast fixation on the Creator of your heart and mind.

As my mom used to say when I was growing up, "You can get glad in the same pants you just got mad in." And that's true. Nothing outwardly needs to change for contentment to occur. Simply because this is true: it happens in your heart. your mind. your will. It's who you are (or are not) at the core.

Stop looking around you, putting your life on hold, or waiting for something or someone to make you content. 

This Christmas season, take inventory of yourself and ownership of your heart's attitude. 

You are the only one responsible for your level of contentment.

If it's not up to par today, perhaps, you should start with thanking God for Who He is. Not to mention thanking Him, one by one, for all the things He continually does on your behalf.