Find Beauty Where You Are

I read an article today over at The Inspired Room. She wrote a wonderful piece about looking for the beauty in our homes and being content with what we have. It was quite an insightful piece.  One of the hardest things, I think, this day in age, is to be content with what we have. We are surrounded by advertisements, glossy magazines, store fronts and more, showing us that next best thing that we "need" to make us happy. And then there are the "neighbors" who have just what we wish that we had.  One scripture that is so important and yet so difficult to live by is this one:

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

I fall into that trap quite often. I look at the messes and not at the love and creativity that goes on here. I look at the piles and not the precious lives of friends and family that gather here. 

As I think back on it, the most beautiful place that I spent time, other than my own home, was that of my grandmother. She lived in a two-bedroom farmhouse that she raised her four sons in (my father being her youngest). She had a natural art of making things lovely.  She would go out into the garden and snip off flowers, branches, whatever caught her eye, and put them all over her house.  It was always beautiful.  But the most important thing I remember was the love, affirmation and acceptance I felt there.

Hopefully, today I can take this message to heart and stop being so hard on myself. I have the most important thing in my life - the Lord- and I have my family and  a beautiful, loving home.  I need to learn to be content with that. How about you? Are you content with what you have?

 

 

This is a typical gathering at the Leng household with friends and family.  Lots of food, fun and love.