1 Timothy 6:6-11 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
I woke up in a fine frame of mind I guess. But as the day went on my fine frame of mind turned sour. It all started with a bucket of paint. Another project in our little cottage. By cottage I think of a great Magazine on display. You know that quaint little home with the white picket fence that draws you to purchase the magazine. Then you are drawn to the pages of the interior. You find white furniture, immaculate and perfect. Every picture hung in the homiest way. Oh, and might I add not a child , husband, dish, dirty sock, or mop in sight. My cottage is not such quality to be displayed in a Better Home setting. It is more like a magazine that would display on the cover, Hopefully Better Home and Garden to Come, work still in progress, read at your own risk.
The gallon of paint was purchased and I envisioned my daughters room a step further in completion. Completion beginning with her ceiling sagging and the roof leaking thus leading to a complete ceiling repair. My daughter moved all her stuff in her brothers room and I had been looking at the mess for weeks.
It seems like with our little cottage the flaws never end. As the paint went up and we discussed what else had to be done my heart grew more discontent within me.” I just want to purchase a home that is done for goodness sake.” I mumbled internally as I could feel the slope of my daughters floor beneath my feet. We spoke of the difficulty of closet doors because of the uneven framing that the builders had done. “ Who in the world built this stupid house !” I said out loud this time.
By the end of a project I had been excited about in the morning, I had now become discontent. My heart and mind became consumed with flaws all around me, and a short hour before we were to leave for church I was in gloomsville.It started as one thing and grew, overtaking my joy, my thoughts and my day.Discontentment grows like a cancer doesn't it ? I needed a doctor and quick. I plopped on our sofa gazing now at the living room. Seeing the flaws in that room as well. My discontentment growing from room to room.
Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted by my husband interjecting from his easy chair what my two teens call “ A Random “ comment. “ Have I ever told you the story ?” My husband sweetly began, “ About the man who went searching for diamonds.” “ No !” I said half heartedly responding to him in an ungrateful way. He graciously continued. ……………. “ Well, there was this man who wanted diamonds more than anything. He was really wealthy and had so much. He sold it all and went all over the world to various mines looking for it. He sold his home and all he had and gained nothing. At the end of his life he died on the streets alone. He had lost it all and never found one diamond.” I looked at my husband my arms crossed on the sofa as to say with my expression ,“ Ya and…….. “ “ You know honey “ He kept on ignoring my stubborn gaze , “ A man who later bought his home went in the back yard and found a great diamond mine, right in his backyard. It was there all the time. The man who hunted for diamonds had it in his own backyard all along. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side Is it honey ?” I looked at my husband in disbelief. I felt like my kids, “ Well , that was random !”
Random, but right on. My whole outlook changed. I looked around. I caught a glimpse of my son. Wow, a diamond I told my heart and mind. I looked at my daughter and my oldest son. Two more ! I looked at my husband, there he is right in front of me, what more could I want ? And then I looked at my home. My supposed cottage. Yes, even this was a diamond. I have it. I have enough. I have those diamonds here right in my backyard, right in my home, right in my cottage. My un perfect, floor slanted, door sagging, roof dripping, white dirty tiled cottage. It is a work in progress, but so is life.I can learn a lot from my cottage. I learn that life is not perfect. Life is not an I have it all scenario for most of us. Life is real. Life is dirty, but life can be beautiful if we see what we have. I have diamonds all around me. I told my husband on the way home from church, “ I loved your story ! It really touched my heart, I had such a bad attitude before you shared it with me. “ “ Oh, Honey I have been wanting to share that with you for so long now. I just remembered yesterday to share it.", he said graciously.
Random ? I think not. It was perfect in timing. While I was about to pack up and sell it all to look for diamonds, my husband reminded me I already have them right here. Thank you Antonius, and thank you Lord, you say contentment with godliness is great gain, I have gained so much and can always gain when I look to you and when I am content with what I have around me. Diamonds all around me, what more could I ask ? Now back to my daughters room, with a new thought process about this little diamond of a home. Yes I see it now, I’ts going to be beautiful !
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