When can I say that I am satisfied? When I had a lovely meal and my tummy is full? When I’ve written a blog and it seems to make more sense to me than usual? When I did a job and I know it was well done? In Philippians 4:11 Paul states “…for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content:” Paul wrote this letter from prison, so he has a right to speak about being “in whatever state”. Most of us definitely won’t be content or satisfied with being in prison, especially if we didn’t do anything to deserve being there.
On Monday it rained most of the day and night. It has been really dry and the rain is so welcome. Needless to say my garden is looking so good. There’s a big difference between watering a garden and it being watered by rain. When it rains, plants seem to grow much faster than usual and also look so happy.
The peas in my garden are growing at such a speed. I need to tie string to the poles so that they have something to take hold of and grow upwards.
These are the cabbage and onions I transplanted, looking very happy.
On Monday night I woke up several times and listened to the rain fall on our tin roof. I pictured the earth drinking up the wonderful water and the plants being nourished. At 4:30 I woke up again and everything was quiet. It was a beautiful stillness that I couldn’t explain. There wasn’t any traffic, there weren’t any dogs barking, just a beautiful peaceful quiet. I could see in my mind’s eye the earth being completely satisfied and with the rain it had received. It was such a moment of complete contentment. That peace is the peace we ought to be feeling much more often. We would be much better people if we had more moments of being content with what we have and where we are.
I only have a few lettuce plants but they are really beautiful!
Do we really need more stuff in our houses, more clothes in our wardrobes and more money in our purses? The things we own don’t define who we are. The money in our bank accounts don’t define who we are. Our relationships are the most defining thing about us. The way we treat the people who are closest to us tell people the most about us. Can we be loving towards our families when things go wrong or do we erupt like an angry volcano every time there’s a crisis instead of being content? Things are going to change. That’s the one thing we can be sure of in this life. Status quo is a myth. Back to normal is a lie. We have to learn to be content and accept that things are going to change and we are going to have to learn to be satisfied.
When things start falling apart around me I am going to try to remember that moment that the earth was still an satisfied and so very, very quiet.
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