The Goodness of Simple Things

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6

The older I get, the more I realize that many of my favorite things

 are surprisingly simple.

I enjoy peaceful spaces.

A hot cup of coffee.

A good book.

Water Colors.

Yarn.

Being completely hooked on a great series.

Nature surrounding me.

A hammock in the backyard.

A garden to putter in.

Long conversations about life.

Meaningful friendships.

A quiet morning with Jesus.

A project to work on.

Yarn and yes, clay.

A Scripture to meditate on throughout the day.

None of those things would impress the world very much.

Yet somehow they fill my heart.

Perhaps that's because contentment is not found in having everything we want. Contentment is learning to recognize and enjoy the gifts God has already given.

For years, I thought happiness would be found in the next thing, the next season, the next accomplishment, or the next answer to prayer.

But more and more, I find God waiting for me in the simple things.

In the steam rising from a coffee cup.

In the sound of birds outside my window.

In a conversation that lasts longer than expected.

In a garden that teaches patience.

In a friend who truly listens.

In a hammock gently swaying beneath the trees.

In clay spinning on a pottery wheel.

These ordinary gifts remind me that God is a generous Father.

He didn't just create us to survive.

He created us to enjoy Him.

To notice His goodness.

To find delight in His presence.

To be grateful for the life unfolding right in front of us.

The world constantly tells us we need more.

God gently reminds us to notice what we already have.

And perhaps that is one of the secrets of contentment:

Not chasing a different life.

Not trying to impress others with this or that.

But embracing the one God has given us today.

                                

 Christine