Our son recently adopted a cute little Boston Terrier puppy – Stanley.  It has been an interesting addition to our home since we have a 7-year-old Boxer – Lucy.  Stanley loves to nip at Lucy; sometimes she tolerates it better than others.  They have even started playing together which is progress. 
          One afternoon I found Stanley hiding in the laundry room sneaking Lucy’s food.  He just loves the grown dog food.  I have tried to set the bowl up on a step so he couldn’t reach it, but he perches himself up there and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-s to get it.  I shooed him away from her bowl and shut the laundry room door.  As I entered the kitchen, there was Lucy eating Stanley’s puppy food.  I just had to laugh out loud. 
          Isn’t that a picture of us sometimes?  The old saying “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” is not quite accurate.  It should be “the grass APPEARS greener on the other side of the fence.”  It is easy to think that if only I had…. her shoes, her husband, her body, her house, her children, her job, her hair, her money, her parents, her …THEN I would be happy.  But in reality we wouldn’t. 
          We have to intentionally choose contentment.  Underlying a discontented spirit is a belief that God is holding out on us.   Do we believe that God has provided His best for us? 
          More and more these days I find myself asking “Do I need that?” We need to choose to be content even when we don’t have everything we want.  “But godliness with contentment is great gain…” 1 Timothy 6:6 GREAT gain.  “…for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content …” Philippians 4:11 We can LEARN to be content. 
          Today, just today, chose to be content, and then do it again tomorrow and the next day and the next. 

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is part of the Development and Addiction Recovery teams at America’s Keswick.  In addition to being a Biblical Counselor, she is a Women’s speaker for retreats, conferences and events.  She is a regular writer for Victory Call and one of the authors of Crossing the Jordan Bible Study. She has been married to her husband John over 28 years.  She has 2 adult children and 3 grandchildren and 3 adult step-children with 7 grandchildren making 10 in all.  She delights reading and teaching, but mostly laughing at the funny things her grandchildren say and do.