Being Content

The green linoleum was fading.

It's seams peeling, the years of our families days have caused the once new beautiful floor to be looked upon with deep dissatisfaction

If only I had a better floor. If only it was easier to clean . If only every little crumb you couldn't see. Then, you get a new floor. Crisp, clean tile.

The smooth-ness under your feet makes you wonder what you did without it for all those years. The old floor but a vague memory.

This new floor with it's promises to make you happy until you depart this world.

I've heard people say "I wish my tile was a different color, I wish the grout was thicker so the crumbs wouldn't get caught in them. I wish I could change this about my new floor, then I would be happy"...But would we really?

Our lives are so reflective of discontentment in every area.

Marriage: If only he would act like this then...I would be happy...Then I would trust him more.

If only he would spend time with me then.....I would be the wife he needs and wants.

Kids: If only my kids would act this way, then I could be the mother I'm supposed to be.

If only I had one more, then my life would be perfect.

Friends: This is a biggy! "Lord I want friends, I need a support system, Please Lord bring someone in to my life."

The Lord brings friends, just like a new floor you seem to over look all the imperfections.

Your just glad their here. Then over time their imperfections make you wonder if there are better friends out there. "There must be friends who are perfect out there!"

No imperfections to over look, No bad days to help through, no misunderstandings. No warts, just all good......

You demand that they

be something

you can't be:

perfect.

If they aren't you talk about their faults, about how better they could serve you and then you search for that perfect friend.

Which ,by the way, you will never find.

If we're supposed to be representatives of Christ as Peter says then I believe we have really messed this one up. We can represent when it suits us. When all is perfect.

If I get offended then don't expect me to have a Christ like attitude. Sometimes we become sarcastic and rude or sullen (this is my favorite.)We feel justified acting this way because we feel like we have been wronged and so the other one deserves our attitude. This is when we have to look beyond the attitude or others and look into our own attitude.

What could I have done to offend this person?

How can I make this situation better?

I don't want my kids to see me being a fair weathered friend or wife or mother.

I want them seeing me loving my neighbor, loving my friends, and loving them with an

attitude of "this relationship is important and I know that it may not be perfect right now

but staying the course and loving even when it's not easy, forgiving each other That's

the model Christ set for us.

Being content to allow less than perfect people in our life and loving them anyway..because they love us...

Teaching our children to be respectful even when someone they admire or look up to, acts less than perfect...like maybe their mamma sometimes..

Being stead fast and content in who we are in Christ and knowing that that is enough........

So today I will walk on my clean shiny floors

and remember what the

other floor

underneath looks

like and remembering

\what I looked like before Christ....