I Could Live Here

This past summer we took a four day vacation to the Salzburg, Austria area. It is only a four and a half hour drive from our house. To say it is absolutely beautiful would be an understatement. I actually asked Jason if he thought those who live there get used to their view or if it continues to amaze them each and every day. Which brings me to this post.

One day we were touring a castle which was surrounded by the Austrian Alps. It was a perfect day - sunshine, puffy clouds, and mild temps. We kept seeing two American couples that were obviously together, one middle aged and one young, as we walked around and again later as we watched a bird show on the grounds. We were sitting on a sloping yard, surrounded by centuries old stone walls, encircled by mountains. I overheard the younger man say, "I could definitely live here."

I immediately thought, "Oh, yes, we all think we could live here. But the reality is that people here still get sick, have bills to pay, have problems, experience bad weather, and probably wish they could spend more time in the beauty of their countryside than they do."

Someone has to bring home the bacon. 

As much as we desire it, vacation is not life. Free time is not the norm. Beauty does not always surround us. Sometimes life seems less than glorious, even mundane. Sometimes we wish it was a little more exciting, but of course only in a good way.

There are so many ways one could go with these thoughts, but here are just a few.

1. Sometimes the mundane, the ordinary, is actually good. We've lived through plenty of excitement and chances are we'll probably live through a whole lot more. A trip down memory lane brings to mind 2006 - a year I was glad to leave behind. We should be thankful for the "boring" years we are blessed with. Even the disciples continued to catch fish in spite of spending time with the Savior. They still needed to eat. Paul was a missionary......and a tent maker. He still needed funds to meet his physical needs.

2. Bloom where you are planted. Yes, we'd all love to live in a tropical paradise or a stunning countryside. But would we be content there if we aren't content in the other places God has placed us? It's always easy to think the grass is greener on the other side. Practically speaking it may be greener there (have you ever seen Ireland?), but realistically even life there is not always green. It is easy to think we would be happier somewhere else, doing something else. At times this could be rooted in a desire to leave some things behind and begin anew. But in fact this attitude is rooted in discontentment and possibly even a lack of gratitude for what we have been given. Mountains always have valleys. Always.

3. No life is perfect. It is easy to forget that even those who live in a beautiful home surrounded by peaceful scenery have difficulties. When G and later P were very young, I traveled to an upper class neighborhood each Monday to give piano lessons. Traveling from house to house, I got to know these families through weekly contact. One of the mothers confided in me that she was losing her good-paying job, but she didn't want anyone else in the subdivision to know. This was coming from a woman whose property taxes were more than many people's monthly house payment. From the outside all seemed perfect, but life's challenges were still present. Although it is easy from outward appearances to think that we would want someone else's life, job, family, or marriage, we must not give in to jealousy or envy. Not only are things not always as they seem, these two attitudes are sin before God. I remember a college professor who oft quoted, "Comparison kills contentment." Jealousy and envy begin when we compare and find ourselves wanting or lacking in some area.

4. Find out the secret. Let's say a person's life is truly "picture perfect" in every way - both inside and out. This doesn't mean they don't experience problems, but they seem to know how to handle each one in a godly way. Find out why! Ask them for counsel and/or accountability and consider a mentoring relationship. Ask them to pray with and for you when you face the unpredictable challenges of life. Are there Scripture passages they have learned from or books they can recommend? Spend time with them and their family so you can learn from them.

God has placed each one of us exactly where He wants us and our purpose is to bring glory to Him with our lives. Whether that life is surrounded by the beautiful Austrian Alps, city high rises, or fields and pastures we should be able to say, "By God's grace and with His strength, I can definitely live here."