Thursday, April 11, 2013

THE LAND IN BETWEEN...IS THE LAND

It's easy to live in a mode of questing for "EDEN"....perfection as God originally designed. That place with luscious trees, tame yet wild animals, magnificent purpose, peace, and the people I love the most.

It's easy to live with a continual want for more than we have. More of life! More of the people we love, more of the beauty of this world, more meaningful work and purpose! As a Life Coach, I've helped women reach for that more, in a good way. To see where you are and then where you want to go is a perfect set up for goals and aspirations! And a perfect launch into that Land in Between.

God tells us to be content with what we have. He's talking in that Scripture verse about money, contrasting loving Him or $. But still He says to be content....with what we have. Not contentment with our bad attitudes, our harmful habits, our useless talk. But contentment with what we have!

The beauty of this to me is that I have a never ending list of the gifts I've been given! Not stuff, although a little of that is nice. But the beauty around me, the people whom I love and who love me, the sweet companionship of our dogs, the days I can hike and have energy, the community of people in Bend whom we're getting to know and love, the small ways I am getting to serve again at our church, and did I say the beauty around me? I'm looking at a sliver of moon to the right of the Sisters Mountains right now at dusk. It's amazing here, rain or shine. But shine is the best! And the gardening in Central OR classes I've just taken, the yummy new vegan recipes I'm finding (I've had a hard time finding "yum"), the sweet text messages and calls from special friends, the upcoming visits with our grandbabies and kids, a full summer full of friends and family visiting. The list is truly unending.

Paul told us to fix our eyes on Jesus, and to think on what is good, right, lovely, of good repute, of excellence.....what we have! The good stuff, that is.

Everyone has something difficult. Everyone. Hurt or struggle or suffering or...something that doesn't fall into that good category above. Yet we can choose to focus on all that IS good and great and wonderful in our lives. It always trumps the bad, every time, even if we have to focus super hard. 

I've told a few friends that I'm both fighting this rheumatoid autoimmune disease, and at the same time settling into life with it. I'm choosing to find contentment when Eden is far away. It's helpful to know I'm not alone, as 5% of the population has it to one degree or another (3/4 women, and not the osteoarthritis, i.e. old-age arthritis. That's not progressive, although still painful for those who deal with it. See RAwarrior.com for more information if desired). My new GP yesterday told me a big positive is that 15 years ago, I would have had a prognosis of a wheel chair in 5 years. Today, there's more hope, even though this tough infusion med I've been on since November isn't bumping me much above 50% of myself yet. But 50% is way better than the 5% I was at a year ago! Another gratitude!

So the Land in Between where I was and where I want to be.....is right here! And it's life....the place to thrive by God's grace and strength and mercies! 

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