February 18, 2010
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Contentment…In More Than One Way
Due to some unforeseen circumstances (are such circumstances really ever foreseen?) my finances have been more strictly reduced/depleted than they have been for…years and years…at least. Something I’ve frequently heard on Larry Burkett/Crown over the years has been that to assist in one’s contentment, one should limit the media consumed.
That’s not usually much of a problem for me, truth-be-told. The radio to which I overwhelmingly, predominately listen is commercial free. Fourteen Saturdays a Fall, I enjoy Buckeye football. I catch an occasional Sunday football game. In the past two or more years, I haven’t watched any TV show with any consistency and the odd weekend DVD doesn’t have commercials. Online commercials are b e y o n d annoying. (Does anybody find those ‘naked-shrinking stomach dizzying replays into infinity just disturbing?) I have, however, found the whole ‘limit one’s media consumption’ to be true, when on occasion, I can think of nothing that is a need or even really a desire, and yet I’ll sit down with a good set of ads from a Sunday paper and all of a sudden there are fifteen things about which I really need to do something!
And then, every two years, there are the Olympics. And my sister and my cousin and I (and many others) LOVE the Olympics. And the television is on more in two weeks than it is in the previous two years, combined. And I get rather annoyed with all the stupid ‘watch this show that has one eighty-seventh of a quasi-redeeming quality and eighty-six eighty-sevenths of trash’ commercials that are played, and replayed and replayed, ad nauseam. No temptation, there.And yet…I have found that there are several commercials that catch my eye and/or interest for various reasons. And all of a sudden, something I haven’t even thought of desiring becomes paramount in my mind and I have an unquenching thirst for Coca-Cola. And I’m not allowed to have a Coke. Or beautiful landscaping replete with lighted fountains from a home and garden show. Or wine. And I don’t even drink wine! It just makes me want a sparking fruit juice that’s out in my freshly-organized pantry. It’s ridiculous, in the extreme.
And that brings me to a final thought (on this short and semi-scattered post)…that as God has given me the gift of time in Snow Days (of which I really should post some pictures…BEAUTIFUL)…and I have gotten the house more organized, together, neat, usable and just relaxing-inducing in its non-insanity-ness…in spite of my financial status at present, enjoying what I have, being thankful for my abounding blessings, and being able to *truly* rest in the God Who provides not only my every need, but every good gift as well, I really want for nothing.
I have no need that God cannot provide. I have no desire that cannot be met by The Creator of Desire and His Word. I can mute or ignore commercials. I can laugh at my human weaknesses and be joyful in the strength of my Father. I can watch people made in the image of their Creator use really cool talents to declare His greatness (whether they realize it or not!) and a.) enjoy it/them, b.) look forward to what my New Body will be able to do on the New Earth
c.) praise their Creator and d.) be content. With my salvation, and all of this on top of it…I am a girl greatly blessed. And I’m glad. 
