I’m driving to work today and I drop down the mirror and it stares me in the face! Another gray hair!
No doubt this one came from the fact that I did not have my normal day off work yesterday and at 9:30pm I was stopping to get milk at the drugstore. (For those who may not know Monday is grocery day in my house.)
Now back to that gray hair!
It’s there, it’s wiry and its sticking out! The little nuisance is not even in the usual place. It’s longer than the one’s I pluck from the crown of my head. AND it has a friend! Goodness, more than one friend! Apparently there is a gray hair party going on right on my head!
I bring the evidence into the office with me…all the little yanked out gray hairs! I’m tearing up this party! I did not give permission for such an occasion to take place!
I show my husband the hairs (we work together). And he says….”IF ONLY”.
I knew exactly what he meant. Because just two short days ago he spoke at our church. He spoke about contentment and He said, “The Words, IF ONLY, are contentment killers”!
Paul knew the secret to contentment. In Philippians 4:11-12 he explains,
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
Paul learned contentment.
Now before you all tell me to get over myself or offer me advice about hair products let me just say that I am OK with my wisdom popping out all over my head! Really, this is not causing me stress. (No milk = stress; not gray hairs) And I fully understand that Paul faced things much greater than my hair changing color or my milk-less refrigerator. But we have to start learning somewhere.
Whether it’s gray hairs, no milk, dirty laundry, cranky kids or sticky floors that just won’t stay clean, there will always be something that will try and steal our contentment. It may be 20 extra pounds, allergies that won’t quit, a cat that yacked hairballs for the 4th night in a row (my house too)! Let’s learn contentment “Even If”!
Because there will be something…
the co-worker that got the promotion, the neighbor sporting the new car when yours is on it’s last leg, the third phone call from school saying your child just won’t pay attention.
There will be something. Let us learn to be content EVEN IF!
Let us be able to join Paul in saying,
“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
Let’s remove “if only” from our vocabulary! Let’s worry less, praise more and share joy.
Learn to overlook those gray hairs carrying on a party atop our heads and look straight in the mirror and say, EVEN IF there are gray hairs today I am content.
Let’s pray. Lord, Thank you for all the blessings your have bestowed upon us today. My gray hairs are evidence of life still living, the dirty clothes in the dryer are evidence of active children, the sticky floors are evidence of my family enjoying time in our home. Even my struggles are for my gain. You desire for us to have abundant life, complete joy and it is all possible with You! You are the secret! You are the One to help us learn. You are the One to give us help. You are the One who loves us greatly! May we focus on that in the moments that we want to say, if only. Amen
So glad to share with you today, even if there are a few gray hairs partying in my head! ! Jodie
Grey hair doesn’t bother me its when it falls out is the problem for me.
Steve, My husband would likely agree. And now he must learn from his own words to be content even if they fall out!
“Even if” today especially I have a son who suffers from seizures, lives 10 hours away and I can’t just peek in his room to watch him breathe while he sleeps, I will be content.
“Even if” my parents are considering tossing in the towel on a 39 year old marriage, I will be content.
” Even if” today my heart just feels broken, I will SEEK contentment.
Sometimes I gotta dig really deep for it, but Joy is a choice and I will choose it today.
Thanks for the reminder and tell Thomas his words made a difference in my attitude today.
Lena, Those are big even if statements! You have encouraged my heart to make my list! And there I was trying to encourage others! Praying that we both are able to learn as Paul did! Blessings! Jodie