Contentment!

I've been thinking of something Connie told me the other day, something not too many people are able to say. We should say it, should realize it, more often. Our building, our association, recently elected to hire a management company to handle the business of The Palace. There were not enough interested or able parties to serve as officers (I've declined a number of times!) so their hand was forced, so to speak. 

Many of us feared losing Connie and her valuable services provided us, but the numbers were figured in such a way to have both the management company and keep Connie. She negotiated her hours to fewer per week in order to stay on for us. The other day I was talking to her and she said, "This was a good thing for me----I'm content." I loved it, loved it. I was concerned it would be a financial strain for her but she is making the best of what could be an unfortunate situation. I love this for her, and for The Palace!

It's too bad that contentment alludes so many people. One of my favorite sections of Scripture comes from Philippians 4 where the Apostle Paul tells how he knows what it's like to be in need and to know plenty. In all things he was content. These passages were the text of a Thanksgiving sermon preached many years ago that struck a powerful chord for me. "...having food and raiment let us be therewith content" St. Paul wrote to his buddy, Timothy. It is a learned process, and our society does nothing to encourage contentment. We are daily pushed, pulled, cajoled to have more or better, to compare what we have with what others have, and so on. Americans really have so much 'stuff', especially this American!

Just before Christmas some of my neighbors on the north end of the building experienced a flood. Justin and I were able to pitch in to help them rescue their items from the wet. We were privileged to take in some of the more precious items including a vintage Christmas tree and other decorations from the neighbor on our floor for safe keeping during the recovery period. Ironic that our place was considered a sanctuary as often as we've been leaked upon! As Joe was carrying items from his unit to ours, he remarked, "You know, we really have a lot of stuff...." Yup, we do, and that comes to light when you have to pack it up to move, as they did eventually into a different building on the property. "We really have a lot of stuff" was inclusive of everyone in this building, in the town, in the State, and in this nation.

Sometimes we look beyond what we have, no longer having a full appreciation of the contents of our homes. Last fall when I hosted the breakfast for PACE Center for Girls, the young lady student who came to speak to our group, Tay Tay, was blown away by my home. In her talk, she mentioned how someday she wanted to live in a place like this. Here comes that comparison thing again. By other standards this place would be a dump. To this young lady who has had struggles all her life and is trying to better herself and her situation, this was a palace. Yes, it IS just that, and I do appreciate it. 

"Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, His mercy endures forever"!