Hebrews 13:5b – “Be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

I love living in this old house. Our house was built in the mid-1800s from brick kilned on the site, and it holds many quaint nuances.

Sometimes my fertile mind races and I imagine who lived here before me, and I wonder what kind of lives they lived. I picture the children racing down the decorative oak staircase in the front hall and the families gathering by the warmth of the large fireplaces.

But there are other things about living in an old house that are not so great. Many times I have wanted to pull out my hair when dealing with a significant lack of closet space, or freezing pipes caused by insufficient insulation, or unsatisfactory heat in the upstairs bedrooms. The difficulties of living in this old house have taxed my perfectionist personality.

It is easy to want everything to be “right.” Unfortunately this desire can cause us to forget our own blessings and to desire what others have. “If I only had that house, that car, or that technology, then I would be happy,” we say to ourselves.

These thoughts breed an attitude of discontent, spurring us to grasp after more and more.

The funny thing is that the more we get, the more we want. After painting the walls of the living room, I noticed how shabby the curtains were. After getting new curtains, the furniture looked worn out. We continue to search for perfection, but we are never content.

This desire for perfection is actually not a desire after things. At its root it is a heart longing for a person. The only One who can fill this desire is God. When we allow God to fill our heart with His love, we will feel the assurance that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

All our other desires fade into the background, and we can finally be content and thankful for the material things we have.

So what about this old house? I am thankful for a wonderful place to live and raise my family, even with all its quirks. And as long as my best friend, Jesus, is here with me, then this is where I want to be.

Sandra Sheridan is a Midwest wife and mother of five. She shares her messages to her children with Farm World. Visit her at www.VersesFromMama.blogspot.com