All my life I have been told that the best things in life are free.  And as the years pass ever onward I grasp the meaning of that statement more and more.  Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy going to places like amusement parks, concerts and museums but I am just as happy exploring a lonely hiking trail, strolling through a simple garden or laying in the grass at night looking up at the stars.  The funny thing is after I spend a day in Disney World I feel less content and fulfilled than the day after skipping rocks on a still stream.

        Why is that?  I believe it is because the best things in life truly are free.  Expensive toys, exotic trips and the latest fads create more desire than they satisfy.  Don't believe me?  Buy a child an expensive toy, shut the door and see how long they play with it.  Then the next day bring home a big empty box from work and they will play with it until it disintegrates from over use.  Still don’t believe me?  What is that one thing that you covet and wish you had?  Go out and buy it and see how long you play with it until you find yourself wanting something else.  It is not what we have that satisfies the cravings of our hearts; it is only the things we enjoy that bring satisfaction, richness and lasting contentment.

         I have an idea; why don’t we declare this week Enjoy what we have week?  During this week buying new stuff is outlawed and we will be required to play with the things we maxed our credit cards on last month.  Saturday will be reserved for long walks early in the morning, hand in hand with the people who mean the most to you.  Of course a picnic brunch will be mandatory and cell phones are not allowed.  Saturday evening we have a reservation for you and a friend near a lake, who’s only light is that reflected from the stars twinkling overhead.  We have a blanket spread out on the ground and front row seats to the finest star gazing show around.  Now that is entertainment!

        Now, I may not get my holiday on the calendar this year, but the good news is we can enjoy what we have any time we want.  Today, we can enjoy the simple things of our ordinary day.  We can accept our everyday blessings as if they were extravagant gifts given to us from the hand of a wealthy king or we can sneer our noses at these humble offerings; and the choice is ours.  Will we pout because we do not have the latest gadget or will we enjoy the many wonderful things piling up all around us?  Happiness is a choice; choose to enjoy what you have.

Something to think about:

• The secret of contentment is knowing how to enjoy what you have.

• Some people are making such thorough plans for rainy days that they aren’t enjoying today’s sunshine.

• Enthusiasm is the spark that puts enjoyment into our lives.

• Variety is the mother of enjoyment.

• A person who is to be happy must actively enjoy his blessings.

• The poorest man in the world is the one who is always wanting more than he has.

• If we only knew how little some people enjoy of the great things that they possess, there would not be much envy in the world.

• If you don’t enjoy what you have now, how can you be happier with more?

• Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn’t stop to enjoy it.

• I asked the Lord for all things so I could enjoy life. He gave me life so I could enjoy all things.

Enjoying the blessings of another ordinary day
Rickey Moore