Thankfully Content

It's November.  Enter the season of thanksgiving.  A time for us to search for our treasure chest of blessings and open it up to reveal all the good present in our lives.  Giving thanks is possible in all situations: from rich to poor, young and old, war and peace, life and death.  Thankfulness knows no bounds; it humbly presents itself to us in both big and small moments.  We only need to open our eyes and our hearts to the vastness of possibilities and be grateful to the opportunities afforded to us.  Thankfulness is the precursor to contentment - when we acknowledge and relish how blessed we are, we become more aware of what we do and do not need to make our lives complete.

"We don't need to increase our goods nearly as much as we need to scale down our wants.  Not wanting something is as good as possessing it." - Donald Horban

This season, we want to use the prompt of thanksgiving to reveal what our true needs and wants really are, not what reality shows and consumerism culture tells us they should be. Consciously attack television commercials or retail store sales pitches.  Call them out on their BS.  Remind ourselves that no amount of goods can replace a loved one or represent love.  Be more intentional in our relationships with each other, our family, our friends, and strangers.  Display the love of Christ when it's politically incorrect to do so.

Contentment allows us to appreciate and use what we do have.  When we encounter times of less, contentment helps us to be grateful for what we possess now.  When we acquire more, contentment aids us in sharing our abundance with others.

Even as we try to become more organized, remember that stuff is temporary.  Live life thankfully.