On my mind

...are the traits of gratitude and contentment.  I see very little evidence that it is common in our society any more even within Christian circles.  So many of us focus on what we do not possess.  But in reality if we have food, clothing and shelter...we have more than enough.  But instead we chase after fancy cars and fancier homes (complete with granite countertops and travertine floors), luxury vacations, designer clothes, shoes and handbags and when we finally obtain our goal we are satisfied for about five seconds and then we are devising schemes to obtain the next thing we want.  It makes me sick that we are willing to enslave ourselves and our husbands to debt to get stuff that we will be selling at a garage sale for 10 percent of what we originally paid for it or come to resent because we can't truly enjoy them because we are making payments on it for years.  Also, we pay for it more dearly than we can ever imagine.  How many marriages have been sacrificed because there is never enough money?  How many people in poverty could have been helped had we been just a little less selfish and far more generous?  How many of our children will have silently observed and picked up the ungrateful attitude from their parents and taken it even farther, because hey, kids love to outdo their parents.

There is a better way:

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content. Phillipians 4:11

And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 1 Timothy 6:8

[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.  Hebrews 13:5

I will be crying out to God to heal me in this area.