Attitude Check

This morning I sit here in a quiet house with 2 sleeping little boys, a cup of coffee, my Bible and enjoying complete peace. I can't say the morning started out that way, though. I hit snooze twice & finally drug myself out of bed... begrudgingly. I started my morning routine & Owen came stumbling downstairs. As I was brushing my teeth he said "I need to go to the bathroom, can you leave... and shut off the light, too?" I confess, my first thought was "Can a girl finish brushing her teeth? Sheesh!" He had a headache when he went to bed last night & I asked if he still had it as I shut off the light. He nodded & whimpered. As it turns out, he had a 102 fever and horrible headache. Oh great--there goes the few hours of sick time & more vacation time! How inconvenient! I got the girls ready for school, fed & shipped out the door as I called in to work. *exasperated sigh*
I started some coffee and suddenly realized... my house is QUIET. How peaceful! I grabbed a cup of coffee & settled into my favorite rocking chair with my Bible. What a perfect morning, I caught myself thinking. Owen was sleeping on the couch & Parker was still in bed, snoozing away. No tv. No radio. Just quiet. I took a leisurely sip of my coffee & started to read. My devotional today referenced Philippians 4:11-13--"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all things through him who gives me strength."
As I sit here reading, I am reminded of how far I've come. I have to ask myself--what am I teaching my children? Am I providing an example of contentment in any & every situation?? My initial attitude this morning certainly didn't set that example, but a gentle whisper through His word reset my attitude. It may not be convenient that I have a sick child, but THANK GOD I have a job that allows me to have sick/vacation time & pay. And, I must confess, this morning was splendid. A cup of coffee in my rocking chair with my super fuzzy blanket & my Bible in a quiet house... priceless. I do want to find contentment in any & all circumstances. Overall, I do pretty well, but there are days when I need to have my attitude reset. What kind of example do I want to set for my children? We certainly don't have the fanciest house, the biggest house, the fanciest car or a life of luxury. I'm raising 4 kids on my own without any child support and very few breaks--usually no more than a couple hours. However, we do have plenty to be thankful for! I have 4 awesome kids that bring a smile to my face every day & often make me laugh out loud with their antics. We have a house that is dry & warm. We have a car the is reliable & gets us to where we need to go. We don't have much, but we have ENOUGH. I have a good job that allows us enough to pay the bills and have "Friday night family movie night" with pizza every Friday night. We have 300 acres to wander & explore that grandma & grandpa so generously share. We live in a place that allows us to have our pets, ride our bikes, hear the peepers on a summer night, and learn about nature. The kids are close to their grandparents & get to see them daily. We aren't going hungry, we aren't cold... we have good friends & family. How lucky are we?! I think we have it pretty darn good!
So, the next time my attitude slips into thinking that "if only we had/could..." or "all I need is...", I will recite Philippians 4:11-12 & remember all the wonderful things listed above. I pray that I instill this in my children, as well...