Living in the Here and Now

Share Now

When I was a young wife and mother, Ray was a campus minister at a church in Oxford, Mississippi. I knew many Jesus-loving, family-focused, hard-working older women in that congregation. I watched their examples and soaked up their wisdom. I could mention many sweet sisters who taught me how to live, but one of the most special was tiny Miss Adene. She ran what we called “the needy closet.” That’s not a politically correct term today, but Miss Adene didn’t need politically correct terms; she was a servant who loved people in need and served them.

One of the many ways these ladies served was by planning an elaborate ladies day each year. These sometimes included creative skits. I have often remembered one that showcased the seasons of a mother’s life. The skit was based on the premise that people are often negative in their comments about our various seasons. To mothers of infants, they say things like, “Just wait until she gets to be two!” To the mother of older children, they say, “Just wait until he is a teenager.”

The ladies created a skit in which women in one season of life after another listened to typical negative comments. In Act II, the same women heard encouraging words about each sequential season of life.

A little boy stands in a back corner, along with five generations of females in the Machado family. Gloucester, Massachusetts, June 1943. Courtesy Library of Congress.

You’ve seen bumper stickers that say things like, “I’d rather be fishing!” or “I’d rather be at the beach!” I once saw a bumper sticker that said, “I’d rather be here now.” I like that. Sometimes it is hard to be content right where we are with our current set of circumstances, but we have just two choices: contented or discontented. The most joyful choice is obvious.

A key to contentment is living in gratitude. The opposite is ingratitude. What an ugly trait that is!

Overflowing from a grateful heart are:

Thankful Voices

I shall wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go about Your altar, O Lord,
That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving
And declare all Your wonders.
Psalm 26:6-7

Thankful Attitudes

Devote yourselves to prayer,
keeping alert in it
with an attitude of thanksgiving;
Colossians 4:2

Thankful Responses

Be anxious for nothing,
but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:6

Thankful Days

Rejoice always; 
pray without ceasing; 
in everything give thanks;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

“Thank you” are two of the most powerful words we can use to build relationships — our relationship with God and our relationships with other people.

God blesses. It is my job to recognize His gifts and to be grateful. Then we can say, “I’d rather be here now,” and

. . . I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
Philippians 4:11, NASB

 

Share Now

One comment

  1. Love this post and the part about the “I’d rather be…” bumper stickers. I’d never thought about what they were truly saying. I am leading a girls disciple class and our Character trait for our next meeting is CONTENT. I’d love to use that analogy.

    Blessing from “wet” Texas!

    Johnna

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *