Category: Contentment

  • I don't know about you, but I'm longing for lazy time in the sun, looking out at a deep blue ocean, with palm trees and endless sun…

    Blog. Acapulco. 1.15Some place like Acapulco, for instance. 

    I hadn't thought much about Acapulco before the January day I heard a convention speaker describe it in Chamber-of-Commerce terms.

    All I knew about him was his name: Zig Ziglar. 

    Once he took the podium he spun some country stories, his southern accent coming through. the stories never stopped.  

    After awhile he looked out over his audience, smiling and with his eyes twinkling and asked: 

    "How many of you think you're overworked and too stressed to take time off to relax?"

    Most of us in that large auditorium raised our hands.

    "Well, how about a package deal that includes two round-trip plane tickets, plus vouchers for a week at a plush oceanside resort, all meals and tips included.

    "Now, I know you're overworked and too stressed to take time off to relax . . . (He grinned and paused for what seemed a long time.) "But how many of you think you could be at the airport, checked in and ready to fly to Acapulco by 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon? Raise your hands, please."  

    Laughter. Cheers. Everyone waving their raised hands.  

    Zig waited for us to quiet down

    Then he said in a soft voice, "Well, if you could have been packed and ready to go to Acapulco by tomorrow at 2, why can't you manage to take a weekend off with your spouse or your whole family?

    "I'll bet there's a nice motel with an indoor swimming pool not too far from where you live. 

    "The point is  each of us somehow manages to do what we really think is important to do. 

    "And nothing is more important than your marriage and your family!

    "Don't put the people you love last on your To Do list! When your personal life is happy you'll be more productive in every other area of your life–and less stressed, too."

    Are you feeling stressed and overworked? 

    All of us wonder sometimes How will I make it through the day?

    It's true for moms. And dads. For the married and the single. For old and young. For people who struggle from paycheck to paycheck and for those who don't.  

    Even if we're well-adjusted.

    Even when we're happily married and love our children to pieces.

    Even though we're strong Christians. 

    Sometimes, for no particular reason, life simply feels overwhelming.

    Times like that we dream of escape–to Acapulco, or any place, really, where we can be calm and quiet, with time to think and no pressure.

    But we stay

    We stay because we love our spouse and our children.

    We stay because we have something to do that matters.

    We stay because we know deep down we're right where we need to be.

    And because it's the way to peace in our hearts.

    So we take a deep breath and ask God to renew our strength and our joy–and maybe our love.

    And we remember again what the writer of Ecclesiastes said in chapter 4:6:

    Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.    –Ecclesiastes 4:6  (NIV)

    Besides . . . 

    A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.    – Proverbs 15:13  (NIV)

    Even in Acapulco. 

     

    Growing, too,

    Lenore 

    Could you be packed and ready to fly to Acapulco tomorrow?

  • Blog. Woman. thoughtful. 11.13Sometimes a chance conversation teaches us a lot. Like the day a friend talked about her childhood.

    "Our family was poor when I was growing up," she said, "but I never knew it.  

    "I remember the year Dad was out of work. Mom suddenly announced she was really tired of fixing turkey every Thanksgiving and announced our First Annual Rice and Beans Festival.

    "We kids made silly paper hats out of grocery bags. Mom dug up some old candles and sent us out to pick up pretty leaves to decorate the table. Before we ate we went around the table and each of us, even my bratty brother, said our own thank-you prayer.

    "Guess we kids forgot we didn't much like rice and beans because we stuffed ourselves. After dinner we had a contest to see how many blessings we could name, then played games.

    "We all still talk of that as the best Thanksgiving ever.

    "Friday nights were special, too. We always had popcorn and Kool-Aid. Then we'd sit around and watch TV together or play games. I know now that's all we could afford, but as a child it felt like a party every week.

    "Whenever the power went out, Dad would clap his hands and say, 'Let's celebrate!'

    "He'd light candles while Mom made peanut butter sandwiches. Then he'd spread out an old blanket and we'd sit in a circle, like around a campfire. We'd sing camp songs and one of us would make up a funny story, then the next one in the circle would have to keep it going.

    "We had so many good times, so much laughing–small wonder I thought we must be rich. My parents simply knew how to make the most of every little thing.

    "I hate to admit it, but my husband and I and our kids have a lot more stuff now than my parents ever did and we never celebrate any of it."

    +++++++

    That conversation stayed in my mind for a long time. Obviously, her parents were super-gifted with a thankful spirit. They have a lot to teach . . . me. 

    A lovely old hymn speaks truth to my heart. How about yours?

    For The Beauty Of The Earth 

    For the beauty of the earth,

    For the beauty of the skies,

    For the love which from our birth

    Over and around us lies,

    Lord of all, to thee we raise

    This our grateful hymn of praise.


    For the beauty of each hour

    Of the day and of the night,

    Hill and vale, and tree and flower,

    Sun and moon and stars of light,

    Lord of all, to thee we raise

    This our grateful hymn of praise.


    For the joy of human love,

    Brother, sister, parent, child,

    Friends on earth, and friends above,

    Pleasures pure and undefiled,

    Lord of all, to thee we raise

    This our grateful hymn of praise.

    Blessings to you, my friend, at Thanksgiving and every day,

    Lenore 

      

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