What More Could I Ask For?

People really don't understand when my sister and I will explain to them how excited we are to be going to our favorite place in the world-East Grand Forks, Minnesota. They usually nod their heads and say something like, "I hope you have fun!" To which my sister Grace and I shake our heads and whisper, "They really don't get it do they?" Because, we know that when people say, "I hope you have fun!" We don't even have to, 'hope to have fun!' we are always going to have a good time here in this town, that is guaranteed. You'd think that after 6 days in Europe and a plan to visit India for missions, I might not even look forward to coming to such a small place as this, but these visits are what I look forward to the most.
      As I wake up this morning, still in my pajamas and looking forward to a day that could hold almost anything, such as-enjoying the afternoon on the deck, getting a tan and eating the Mexican Caviar that my Grandma has made, taking a break to play basketball with my neighbor friend, and if anyone knows my family you know how much we love movies, and when we went to go see the Lone Ranger movie we walked away happy. I call this blog, "What More Could I Ask For?" simply because as I sit content in this happy home I really can't think of anything else that I could possibly want or need! You'll see a picture here of my sister and I with our neighbor friend, Christian as we sit on my grandparents back deck. We've spent a big chunk of our time here playing basketball together, as well as flashlight tag, and most of all laughing together as childhood friends. We see each other as cousins and will hopefully always be that close. I love how many people live here that I can call family, that are not my biological family. 
       How do we reach such a place of contentment? So many people today have all the wealth of the world at their fingertips and, "all they could ever ask for..." from all the wealth and money they have, but is that all they could really ask for? Wealth and riches beyond all comparison? As I read in my devotional, Jesus Calling, this morning, "The glitter of the world is tinny and temporal. The Light of My Presence is brilliant and everlasting." Contentment comes from inside of us. We all know that and I pray that as a reader you will have felt this type of contentment at some point in your life that I feel whenever I walk in the front door of this home, this sweet escape. Jesus promises us peace that transcends all understanding. As I think about my future and wonder, "When will I get to come back here again? Will I have to wait until I get back from India in order to enjoy my Grandma's company, and homemade food and basketball with my sister and friend?" The Bible tells us not to fear 365 times, so why is it that we usually wake up in the morning with so many fears and burdens to carry in our mind and heart? Besides, the burden of fear we also tend to carry on a lot, is too much worry, I know this is a familiar verse to those who grew up in the Church, but I never tire of hearing this, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6:25-26, 34. It's up to us to decide to stop this worrying, sit back and enjoy our day for what it has to offer. I am going to choose right now to not worry today, of course I will worry later on, but my mindset is on the right path and even though I am human and will forget I will also choose to take joy in my circumstances. I will laugh as I attempt to shoot baskets and will usually miss, I will laugh as I sip my Tennessee tea and listen to my Grandpa tell stories, and I will laugh at the worries that come my way, and choose today to rest and walk in the path of truth that tells me a different story, that tells me to not be afraid.