Sometimes I Just Want What She Has

Let’s take a break from growing gardens, canning food and all the good stuff happening on the mountain farmstead. It’s been too long since we had a heart-to-heart, and I want to tell you what I’ve been thinking about, stewing over and examining in myself.

Yes, it has to do with better living from the inside. Can I blurt it out?

 

Sometimes I Just Want What She Has

I’ve been thinking about comparison. By nature, I tend to be a content, easy-going person. It doesn’t take much to satisfy me, and I don’t need much to be happy. Really.

But like every woman I’ve ever met, there are times when a spirit of discontentment comes over me. Know what I do when it hits? I start comparing both life and self to other women I know.

Her life is so organized and always seems so manageable. Wish mine was like that!

She keeps herself in such great shape. If only I could have her health and zest for living!

I wish people listened to my thoughts in the same way they do hers. I just don’t get the same response.

It would be so nice to have just a small portion of the money she freely spends! Where would I even begin?

I’d be perfectly happy if my blog was as popular as hers. Look at how may people follow her, eagerly devouring everything she puts out!

Can you relate?

It’s easy to look at the life of another woman and wish I had what she has! Sometimes life seems so unfair (yes, I said that with a big, heavy sigh).

But as I was moaning over life’s unfairness, some thoughts flitted through my mind that brought me up short.

Here’s a summary of them.

 

She Worked Long and Hard For What She Has

The first thing reality check given to me was this: these women are where they are today because they’ve invested sweat, blood and tears into pursuing whatever that thing is!

The organized gal probably has to make a point of being organized. That friend didn’t just fall out of bed one morning, in excellent shape. Perhaps she has money because she saved and managed her finances well? And the blogger I envy? She’s been at it for 10+ years, poured thousands of hours into creating the website she has today!

As a woman, it’s easy to stand on the outside looking in, longing for the end result without acknowledging the groundwork that made it all possible. Know what I mean?

And don’t get me wrong. I think discontentment can be a good thing. Often, it pushes us to make positive changes in our lives, is an indicator that change is needed. But recently, I’ve been realizing my lack of contentment is flowing because I’ve been overlooking what I do have!

 

Acknowledging What I Do Have

A song from my childhood is flitting across my brain. It’s an oldie my family often sang:

“Count your blessings, name them one by one!

Count your blessings, see what God has done!”

“Count your blessings, name them one by one!

Count your many blessings, see what God has done!”

Maybe I don’t need a change in circumstance, body, health, savings account or anything else. In my particular case, perhaps I only need to start acknowledging and appreciating what I do have? Who knows? Perhaps someone is standing on the outside of my life, looking in, longing for something I have!

It’s entirely possible, because I have many good things in my life. So do you!

Here’s my confession of life’s goodness:

• sunshine that makes my garden grow (I know I said I was leaving the garden behind, but it just slipped in!)
  
• ears to hear the voice of the songbirds, that sweet music I listen to every day, even from inside the house
• the smell of homemade bread baking in the oven
• this little blog ‘o mine that makes sharing these thoughts, possible
• a flyswatter for killing flies that zip in the front door every time it opens
• a pile of clean dishes
• good books to read in my leisure time
• having a cool house to hide in on these hot summer days
  
• that I have the ability to work with my hands and keep the home
• for the hope I have in Jesus Christ, the understanding there’s more to life than the tangible stuff I see around me
  

Shall I carry on? 🙂 

If the comparison bug is biting, if feelings of discontentment are settling in, if you’re longing for what so-and-so has? It may be an indictator that you need to embrace change. But then again, maybe it’s just that you’ve forgotten what you do have. What do you think? What’s going on your list?