Contentment

In my Bible Study at church, we are studying Jerry Bridges "The Practice of Godliness", and this weeks chapters focused on Contentment and Thankfullness. I guess I should say that I have really struggled with both these issues. My husband has been working alot (praise God for work!) but I feel like an exhausted single parent. I have been struggleing to balance the house, the children, and trying to live life as normally as possible. I feel like Im doing everything with one arm missing. On top of that, when I go to my Mommy and Me workout class I am confronted with everything I dont have. Everywhere I look, I see moms who (I feel like) have it all. The awesome double seat strollers, the latest sippy cups, the matching diaper bags and purses, the cool snack holders that let the kids get the snacks, but the snacks dont fall out. They all have the latest organic healthy snack foods for their kids, while mine are still eating the stale triscuits that we got for free from our apartments food line. I have to fight the urge to be embarassed of my childrens clothes when I take them to church, because they are not clothes from The Childrens Place, Gymboree, or Babies-R-Us. As for me, I am clad in worn used clothing from my mom or various (generous!) friends. The Mall? Whats that? Instead of adorable little ballet type shoes that are in style now, my feet are sporting worn out used-to-be-white tennis shoes my mom gave me. I often harbor the thought that I am the only 22 year old mom in the world actually looks like a mom of 40. Oh, do I hear violins playing a song just for me? I could probably spend my whole blog complaining about all the things I can point out thats wrong with my life. So as you can see, contentment and thankfullness are a real struggling point in my life. But as I look back over my life, I see it all very differently. I see where me and my son used to be. I see how God literally spared me from death numerous times. I see how God brought to me and my son a loving, Godly husband and father. I see how he took us from having literally no food, to a pantry full of it. I see how God took me out of the pits of hell, to the knowledge of getting to spend eternity with Him. He grabbed me out of deaths hands, and placed me at His table. And oh, how I do not deserve any of that!!! So, in light of all of that, suddenly the appeal of the latest sippy cup looses its luster. And, thankyou God for giving me the wonderful women in my small group who let me know generously that I am not alone in the place that I am at.