Coming home from a well deserved break I clearly understood God's principle of wanting us to be contented in all things, whether we had plenty or little. It is liken to the tree in the picture which is bare in winter. This same tree will flourish again in spring and summer and the cycle starts all over again in autumn, when it sheds its leaves. Our cycles may not be predictable like the tree but it is certainly important to be contented, in all the seasons of our lives
Message version captures this thought in Philippians 4:10-14 I'm glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you're again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don't mean that your help didn't mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles.
The planning for this holiday was decided for us by friends, who had a timeshare apartment which they want us to utilize. We had to quickly plan the timing and the logistics (as both Jennifer and I had almost full schedules every week) so that the room could be booked. The best option for us seemed to be after our wedding anniversary, which was last Saturday. Since Monday was my off day I only needed to take annual leave on Tuesday and Wednesday.
I then happened to be on a counselling course together with a friend, who had a transportation company, and she quickly got the booking done for me. She then surprised me by saying, "This is free because we want to bless pastors and their wives". Wow! we had both a place to stay and transportation finalized, for free. We also spoke to some friends in Penang whom we wanted to catch up with, whilst we were there.
Monday came and we went early to collect our tickets and because it was too early we decided to have breakfast with a friend. This friend called another church member who had been transferred to Penang and he volunteered to pick us up at the bus terminal. This saved us the taxi fare and helped us get to the timeshare apartment quickly without any hassle. I met his later after his work and fellowshipped with him. This was a good time for me to catch up on his new work life in Penang, while Jennifer stayed back to plan the dinner activity with our other friends.
Our other friends picked us up at the apartment and took us for dinner. Before dinner started we were blessed once again with "pocket money" for the stay. The dinner was great and we planned to meet again the next day. The next morning we decided that we would go to the office to pray there after breakfast. This was what we did! We had a wonderful time of worship and catching up with their company's growth and their own personal growth in the Lord. The rest of the day we spent resting, and when dinner time came we went out to venture on our own and tried the many stalls which served some great Penang food. We went into a Christian book shop to check out some items, on the way back to our apartment.
The next day we had breakfast and checked out after noon. Our church member once again took us to lunch and then the shopping mall before sending us off to the bus terminal. By the time this trip was over both Jennifer and I had decided that we should try to match make the couples we met......shhhhhh don't tell anyone (but they are reading this blog too, I think!)
Oops.... forgot to mention another of God's principle, what we sow we will reap! Can you imagine the fruit which is to their credit (see v17)?
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