I want too much!

After I took this picture and saw it on the computer, I was reminded that sometimes I want too much. Many times, it's things that don't really even matter. When I took this picture, I just wanted one where all three kids are smiling, but we all know that can be a tall order. However, as you see, success...all it took was Steve doing a silly dance and there you have it! So you may be wondering what the problem is then, why did I find myself wanting "too much" when I looked at this picture later on. If you look closer, you will notice that we don't have a tree skirt (as evidenced by all the wires sticking everywhere) and barely any ornaments on our tree (maybe soon we will have our things from the States). Then I glance at their sweet faces and think, we have three of the cutest little humans alive, what is wrong with me to think about tree skirts and ornaments!?

I get frustrated with myself for swinging from one side to the next of want vs. contentment. I can get hung up on what we don't have many times, rather than remember what we do have. As we wait for our belongings from the States to arrive, I often find my mind wandering and clinging to WANT. Which stems from discontent with what I DO have.

However, in His goodness, the Lord consistently chooses to remind me that we really do have everything we need IN CHRIST! So as we walk through the Advent season, a season where we celebrate the anticipation of Jesus' birth, Immanuel, who came to be with mankind, I am asking God to help me WANT only Him and not focus on all the other things my heart wanders to besides Him.

The other day as I was scrolling through Instagram, I saw a picture my friend posted (below) and I couldn't help but smile. It was a simple picture she took of something she found that her child had done.  But I was completely stopped when I saw this picture.

What caught my attention was the fact that all of the people and animals are crowded around to see baby Jesus. It's amazing that even children's hearts and minds are geared toward Jesus. And props to the parents of this sweet dear child who are raising him to know and love Jesus that he is already imitating what he has heard His parents teach him. That Jesus came to be with us, that we should adore Him completely and crowd around Him in eager anticipation to find all that we need can be found only in Him.

So today, I am asking God to align my hearts desires with His. I'm asking for Him to take away discontent, anxiety, and sadness that wants to strangle my heart each day. I'm asking for my heart and my mind to be focused on Jesus and be "crowded around" Him today and in the days ahead as we celebrate the fact that,

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the 

government will be on His shoulders. And he will be called 

Wonderful Counselor, 

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace. 

Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be 

no end. He will reign over his kingdom, establishing and 

upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on 

and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9: 6-7

Oh I hope you will take time this week and next to hit the pause button each day, to crowd around Jesus and find your true contentment in the only One who offers true and lasting rest for your soul.