A discontent heart doesn't see the blessings & beauty around it

I love change. I am always looking for something new to learn to do, something new to grow in my garden, a new way to move the furniture in my house around, a new pet to get, a new state to move to... you get the idea. This deep desire for change and adventure/new challenges has been a struggle for me at times. For example in each of our homes we have lived in, after 3 years I was completely ready and looking to move - to the point of being obsessive about it.

This past month that urge hit me especially hard again and really sent me into a depression like I'd not been hit with. This ongoing desire to move was greatly increased due to the fact that my parents are in the process of moving from Indiana to North Carolina. I have a very close relationship with my parents and have always lived in the same state as them, so them moving is a huge change in my life. I was desperate to move to Tennessee or N. Carolina! I love warmer weather and mountains. I also love land and the country life so I figured if we moved we might finally get the acreage I'd dreamt of! Tennessee would take me to the mountains I love and closer to family; North Carolina would take me to family I love and closer to those beautiful mountains! Either option was a win to me. But staying where I was wasn't an option I wanted to accept!

I knew I was not doing well emotionally or mentally. I was so desperate for some sort of change it was like a sickness! I had asked friends in my small group to pray for me to have contentment! I desperately needed God to open my eyes to the beauty around me and give me contentment here - if that's where He wanted me. Well, God does not fail. He answered in a way I would have never expected: He sent a messenger all the way from Georgia to tell me what I needed to hear! The story follows:

A dear friend of mine moved from where I live in Indiana to Georgia a year ago. She recently emailed kinda last minute and told me she was going to be in town and could she stop in and visit me. I was excited and honored. In the short amount of time I got to know her before she moved she became a dear friend to me. One of those friends where you just feel like they get something about you that not everyone else does. I was so happy to have her and her children come visit. What I didn't realize was how God was going to use her so directly to speak to me in regards to my struggles.

She did NOT know I was struggling greatly with discontentment living here in Indiana. Much to my surprise, she began sharing how since returning to visit the area she was struggling with missing living where I do in Indiana! As she was talking, in my head I was thinking "WHAT? You are in beautiful, sunny, Georgia and you miss this??" She went on to say how beautiful the sky was here and how in Georgia she has the hills but because of them you don't really notice the beauty of the sky! I was taken aback by this. I was in awe of what she was saying because you see I'd never really taken much notice of the sky here. I wanted the hills and mountains! I wanted out of here and she was missing being right where I am. While sitting in my backyard she was also telling me how beautiful it was and how it would be prime real estate in Georgia; how the yards in her area are so small, and how she doesn't have any flowers in her yard yet and I am surrounded by them in mine. Once again the Holy Spirit was being very direct in getting my attention. I struggle greatly with wanting more land and not wanting to live in a subdivision. She also talked about many things in the area that she missed, some of which I'd never really thought about. Later as she was walking through my small laundry area to head outside through the garage she said how she missed having that space between the garage and kitchen; that you step right into her kitchen in Georgia directly from the garage. I must say I smiled inside at the way God doesn't miss little things. You see, I generally do love my house but often have complained about that little laundry area and the way it's set up! I chuckled inside because I knew God was being thorough in making His point! :)

My friend said how when these thoughts would come into her head about the things she misses God would keep reminding her about being content where He has taken her. God impressed upon her heart to think of what things she would miss about where she is now if He moves her elsewhere in the future. WOW.

The things she said greatly impacted me and made me realize how blessed I am right where I am at. I have since gone out and looked up at the beautiful sky and embraced it rather than wishing for mountains! I have removed the mountain photos from my desktop and google homepage and replaced it with photos of Indiana. I want to embrace the beauty right here that I've been missing when I was busy dreaming of somewhere else! I also was reminded of how much God loves me that He would send a friend all the way from Georgia to my home because He knew He could so perfectly use her to respond to my cry to help me see the beauty where I was!

Thank you Lord! Thanks also to my friend for being used without even realizing it! Your visit was such a blessing.