Discontentment and Glitter: A Lesson in Choosing Joy

It has been a rough summer spiritually for us here in the Wright Fam. Especially in the Church Attendance Department. We usually average 3 out of 4 Sunday's a month. Not that averages, or attendance records mean anything in the big picture scheme of things. It does however mean something for us in our joy levels from fellowship, and in the "magnitude of our attitude" departments though.

Several things have contributed to our lower than usual average. Summer is always a busy season for work for my hubby so often we just give ourselves lots of grace and have a Sabbath at home. However the main thing currently is that Kal-El Wright had a slip-step back during the snow apocalypse of 2019 and tore (by tore I mean completely detached) the main tendon in his left wrist. For which he had surgery to repair it back in June. Now, he's a lefty. So this has far more greatly impacted our lives than either of us thought it would. Fast forward a few weeks of recovery, add in some house project stress exasperated by the hubs being down for the count, and pure exhaustion from all of that and we've made 1.5 Sunday's in the last 2 months. The half Sunday was actually me sitting in class with my kiddos as they balked at the idea of a new Summer Sunday School routine.

Today I was giddy that we as a family were going to make it to church. We love our church, and the Lord knows I needed some corporate worship. The kids were up early. I actually did my hair. I even had time to give Luke-Man the haircut he so desperately needed.

However, going to church today was just not in the Books for us. About 7 minutes into our drive (yep. We had actually MADE it into the Truck and were on our way) my hubby starts sneezing and coughing with one of the worst allergy attacks he's had in a while. Couple this with a general feeling of achy illness, we instead had to do an emergency retreat to Walgreens and then home.

I won't lie. I was disappointed. I was cranky. I was mentally lamenting about how many Sunday's we've missed recently, and how much I'd wanted to go to church. I determined though that outwardly expressing all of this would not be a good lesson in choosing Joy. So, I stuffed the negativity and plastered a smile and pretended all was well.

We still had a few Sunday errands which needed to be accomplished. I dropped off the hubby at home with his Kryptonite recovery kit, and the kids and I set out to complete the to-do list. We hit up a yard sale/book sale I'd heard about, picked up our Walmart grocery order and swung into Home Depot for a few plants to finish off some pots I'd finally gotten filled up with dirt. Well, actually I paid my own and the kiddos of my friend $1.00 each to fill these pots for me. I didn't want that money or their work to be wasted.

It was while we were at Home Depot that God began teaching me a little heart lesson. I was letting the kids help me pick out plants, but I kept having to redirect Ana-Girl towards less expensive options. She was becoming increasingly frustrated and dissatisfied with me.

However, rather than stuff her emotions she very outwardly expressed her discontentment and lack of joy over the choices she was being given. To which I responded something very clever and motherly and along the lines of "You can choose to be joyful about your options right now or you can choose to continue lamenting and having a yucky heart which will only bring you more heartache later today".

Spiritual Moment of Crickets please…..

God gently poking on my heart ensuing…..

On the way home I began praying out loud. It really started out as more of a verbal vomiting of complaints, grumblings, and putting voice to my discontent, discouragement and dissatisfaction.

Much like this picture….

But then, I mentally shifted my prayer. So many things were lifted up to God in this prayer. All mostly concerning us finding peace and joy in our circumstances and family, inviting God back in to our home. Let's just say there has been a major sprinkling of bad attitude and discontentment around this homestead recently, it wasn't just today.

Here is where it gets better.

God heard me, and He answered in an unexpected way today. No sooner had I pulled in the driveway when my neighbor called me and asked me if I would be interested in some decorations. Basically this neighbor has a mini version of Hobby Lobby in her home. I of course said I'd love to come see.

I looked it all over while internally shaking my head in disbelief. Everything in the back of this truck were things I'd mentioned to the hubby, or to some other friend with in the last week about wanting to find. I emphatically nodded yes and "Thank you!!" Several shepherds hooks, 2 metal yard birds, 2 patio umbrella stands, and a bunch of other outdoor miscellaneous things that made me giddy with excitement to finally get some plants in pots, get some umbrellas on my patio and just add a little beauty to our home. Now we just need some umbrellas.....

We've lived here 6 years and been through the gauntlet of work when it comes to this place.

We have SO many more things to do, most of which I cannot do alone while the hubby is recovering. But nothing says we can't celebrate with a little beauty during the process. The process doesn't always have to be ugly. I told the hubby, "I know it's just glitter on the poop right now...but I needed some glitter."

I also needed the gentle reminder from the Lord today to "Rejoice in the Lord always" and to dwell on "whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy".

So there you have it. If you come looking for me you're going to be able to find my address easier by my new to me Metal Yard Birds (not just the chickens roaming around) and some pretty flowers sprinkled around in some HUGE nursery pots that another neighbor gave away a few weeks ago.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.  Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you."

Philippians 4:4‭-‬9 CSB