Monday, January 12, 2015

More pure wisdom...

"You get what you get and don't throw a fit. "


Ava Jo and Violet
I heard my five year old Grand daughter, Ava Jo repeat this quote over and over during our two week visit.  Seems her teacher uses this to teach her students not to whine and complain when they don't get what they want.  Ava loves chocolate milk so I am sure when they run out  and she has to drink white milk she may complain a little.  
We've been taught to believe that contentment is linked to our accomplishments or constantly getting more. Our basic value is that "more is better." We think, "I’ll be happy when I get, or when I have,  and you name the have's and the gets. 
 Since there’s no end to our desire to acquire or do more, we’ll never experience contentment.

The Stoics believed that contentment meant the opposite – the way to have peace and contentment is to have less and less. They would emotionally detach from the things and people they loved, convincing themselves that nothing mattered.

But the truth is getting more and more can never bring contentment, and desiring less and less can’t either. Prosperity doesn't have the power to give us contentment, nor poverty the power to take it away.

The true meaning of contentment is being satisfied with what you have and with who you are - right now. 

In his letter to the church in Philippi, the Apostle Paul shares the secret to being content: "I have learned to be content no matter what happens to me.I know what it’s like not to have what I need. I also know what it’s like to have more than I need. I have learned the secret of being content no matter what happens. I am content whether I am well fed or hungry. I am content whether I have more than enough or not enough. I can do everything by the power of Christ. He gives me strength." (Philippians 4:11-13)

Or you could use the paraphrase from a wise five year old,  you get what you get and don't throw a fit.    

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