The Gift of enough - 6:27:26, 11.42 AM

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Welcome back to Artfully Tailored Conversations, the Two Sister Podcast. Today we're talking about something that sounds simple, but can actually be hard. The gift of enough. The message is everywhere, isn't it? If you only had a little more, a little more of something, a little more time, a little more, just put whatever you word you want after the word more, then you would be happy. But true contentment isn't found in getting more. What if it comes from recognizing what we already have? We as two sisters have walked different roads of sorrow, loss, healing, and faith, and we've learned that some of the life's greatest treasures aren't things at all. So what are your treasures? Are they memories? Are they faith, grace, and the presence of God in ordinary moments? Today we're talking about discovering the gift of enough. Hello, I'm Melody.

SPEAKER_04 1:04

And I'm Penny. And she's Penny. So we want to talk about the myth of more. Most of us spend part of our lives believing that happiness is waiting somewhere, you know, right around the corner, right? Right. Or when you get promoted, or when you're gonna hit your retirement. Um you're gonna lose weight. Oh, yeah, that's a biggie. And oh relationships, sure. And life finally settles down. Uh, you know, on and on and on. As soon as it seems so, as soon as we reach those goals, they disappear. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

You can find um yourselves chasing a life, a life that always seems just out of reach. Isn't that interesting? Yeah. The problem isn't having dreams. No, dreams can be good. Actually, very important. Yeah, dreams can be really important. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 2:04

So we believe, I believe actually, that God invites us to find contentment right where we are. Absolutely, I do too. We just have to look around and um not because everything's perfect, but because his presence is there, truly there. You just have to look for it. Yeah. And it's a practice. It is a practice.

SPEAKER_01 2:26

You learn it. Yeah. You actually learn um to be grateful. Uh you learn that no matter what your circumstances may be, there is a reason in that circumstance to be grateful. There's always something there. Yeah. Whether it's beauty, purpose, goodness, um, most importantly, God is there.

SPEAKER_03 2:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:47

God is with you in that circumstance. And that's what needs to be seen.

SPEAKER_04 2:53

So, Penny, what did you once believe that would make you happy?

SPEAKER_01 2:57

Oh, you know me. I like material things. I like my kotchkeys.

SPEAKER_04 3:04

And your purses.

SPEAKER_01 3:05

And my purses, yes, I'm a purse girl. Um, I like my little whimsies. My house is filled with my little whimsies. No, people know that. Those are the things I get for gifts as well. Um, no, and I mean, as far as large things, I think one of the big things was um I built a beautiful home on a river, and I thought that was my forever home. I thought that was really going to make me happy. I was a widow, and um this was my home. I I found the design, I found the builder, I did everything. You picked out all of the everything. Granite, yes, the lighting, the carpeting, in-floor heat. I mean, it had everything I wanted have ever wanted in a home. And I thought that was gonna be it. I was gonna settle down in there, and that was going to be my all-in-all. It didn't take too terribly long to realize that it it wasn't as satisfying as I thought it would be. Um so well, I think part of it is that I built a home much larger than what I personally needed because I was thinking that people would want to come and stay with me, you know, for a weekend or an overnight or, you know, whatever. And that didn't happen. And so it didn't take long before there was disappointment attached to the house. And um it I I think slowly but surely, God was definitely in the process, and I think he was showing me that this was not the answer to what I was seeking. I was truly seeking him and didn't know it. And I was trying to find it through something, a material thing. Right. That was the biggest thing, I think, that stands out to me. Interesting. What about you?

SPEAKER_04 4:57

Oh gosh. I you know, I don't know. I I cer certainly some material things. Um, I think landing somewhere, because we moved a lot. Um you know, my husband was in the military, and so we were only in places for a few years and then had to move again. And right. And I missed home. And but you know, there's yeah, when you're living away from your family, and especially when your family's close like ours was, you think you're you think everybody's back home partying and having a great sport. And you're you're in this lonely place. Sometimes, yeah. I mean sometimes it was great, but yeah, that's one thing. And I don't know. No, I I understand that. I get that. I think it is more material things than than anything else. Sure. Um they they lose their charm.

SPEAKER_01 5:59

Well, and I think sometimes too what happens that causes us to kind of go off the deep end is that we we go through the comparison thing that somehow we don't have enough. Yeah, that's um because other people have what we think is more than what we have without really knowing and understanding what's really going on in that person's life. And um, you know, yes, you can say material, you can say emotional, or you know, you can use whatever words you want. I think that's part of what happens is when we we aren't grateful for the enough that we have in our lives.

SPEAKER_04 6:31

Well, that leads me to this question. What simple blessings do you appreciate now that you know you may have overlooked before or now that you understand, I think more better. But that didn't sound very good. Or better.

SPEAKER_01 6:52

I think the biggest thing is you your eyes are totally opened, like almost in a different spectrum. And you you see things, uh you really do things, you see things very differently than you did before. Because I think you've been given in a way you've almost been given the eyes of the Holy Spirit that allows you to to see things as they truly are. And most things, to be honest, are blessings. Yeah. They're not withhold withholdings, they're blessings. Right. And even in the small things. And so your gratitude goes from you know selfish desires to a much broader spectrum of life. And that changes everything. It really does. It changes everything. Oh, I believe so.

SPEAKER_04 7:41

Yes. Um, I think that one of the most powerful practices is gratitude. And I actually have an article that I had found on gratitude previous to us deciding we were going to talk about this, and I was like, Oh, I gotta show you this. So it um it says gratitude is a form of spiritual warfare. Cool. Interesting. I like that. Um, 1 Thessalonians 5.18 says, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Yes. So gratitude really is training our minds to recognize the presence of God in the middle of a storm. And that's that can be really difficult because the storm takes all of our attention. Yes. So it's really about just taking a deep breath and stopping and and uh turning, you know, to the Lord. Absolutely. Um, we are to live by God's presence and not anxiety, and that's been a hard lesson for me. I had to learn it, and I'm still learning it. Biologically, it shifts your brain out of fear mode, so you can't be anxious and grateful at the same time.

SPEAKER_01 8:52

Isn't that interesting? Yeah, I mean, it is true.

SPEAKER_04 8:54

Yeah, if you really stop and think about it, really think about it, yeah, how true that statement is. But this is really interesting because practicing gratitude increases your dopamine and your serotonin, which is um happy. Happy uh cells, no cells, is it would it be cells? No happy geez, I don't know. Just the chemical part. Yeah, chemicals, there we go, in our brain. And it helps strengthen natural pathways that support a calmer mind, which I need every day. So practicing gratitude is one of the ways our minds are rewired, repeated thoughts create neuropathways, neuropathways shape emotions, and this is how the Lord created us. Yes, yay, yay, yay. And that leads us to um well, the we we had found this scripture verse, you had found it, Jeremiah 33.

SPEAKER_03 9:44

Jeremiah 333.

SPEAKER_04 9:46

Call to me and I will answer you and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know. And that was one of them, finding out about this gratitude thing because it just it really um I don't know. I don't like to use the word empowered, but it did. It just was like, okay, I'm gonna try this. And so I really try to remember that, especially when I get myself all in a tizzy over something that's coming at me, and I didn't choose it. Right. And it's forced bothering me, it's hurting me, and or making me making me stop focusing on the things that I am called to do.

SPEAKER_02 10:29

Yes.

SPEAKER_04 10:29

That's really what's happened with me. So learning this gratitude, and I'm still in the process. Absolutely. And I probably will be my whole life. Yeah, which is okay.

SPEAKER_01 10:36

Yeah, it's a learning thing, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 10:40

Um, and it's not because it removes pain, it doesn't remove pain. No, it does not. But there's something that shifts. Yes. And I think it's just because we are grateful to God for even a little something. Just say, I am so grateful for this. Yes. Um, and I can't think of an example, right? And well, I guess it just reminds us to see the beauty, the purpose, the goodness.

SPEAKER_01 11:08

Well, and it's being open to what's happening around you. I mean, I'm talking more like in a creative creation sense, you know. No matter where you're living, yeah, you know, there's beauty around you. Yes. This is God's world. Yes, you know, here. He created all of this. And and sometimes taking that deep breath is just stepping outside, you know, getting out of that that room or that place that you are, just so that you can close your eyes and take take a deep breath, you know. And it isn't always, you know, like Melody said, it isn't always an easy thing to do. That's why it is a learned thing. Yeah, you have to practice it. And something that we've we've talked about and have learned is that you need to say these things out loud. Yes. You it that's another added benefit to our brain and our body when we speak these things out loud. Something happens to our body when our brain, when it hears it. This is this is documented um science. Yeah. So it's it's all a part of um our regaining our childlike hearts. And this is what we pray for all of you and want for all of you. That in in beginning, if you haven't yet, in beginning, um this uh how do I want to say this this learning of this kind of gratitude, um that's part of what happens. You get that, you get that kind of almost silly joy. Yeah you know, like you get when you're a child, you're very open.

SPEAKER_03 12:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

And you know, you're happy. It's more than happy, it's a joy that we've been talking about this these last you know, I've for a long time. This joy that happens in our lives when we least expect it. It's not an earthly man-made joy, it is purely from God. And it changes everything about your life. It absolutely does. And this is what we're this is what we're leading into. Right.

SPEAKER_04 13:09

Yep. Yep, because the the many uh well, many of us can look back and see moments when we wondered how we would even breathe again. Yes, absolutely. And learning this gratitude thing, um, it if when I if I remember it, you know, it it really it is a gift. It's just a gift because it stops your your focus. And I know, I know, I know, I know because I know people, there are some people that they are in a hardship. Yes, their heart is broken or breaking, and it's very difficult to think, what are you talking about? Gratitude. But if you let your let your st or just stop yourself and let yourself just think, find a good thing, something that's been good in your life, and just say thank you. It's a beginning. Yes, it's a beginning. Yes, it's it's like supernatural, miraculous.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

It is, absolutely. So it because we're you know, as as we've been saying, I think, is that um there really is no such thing as enough because it isn't gonna happen here. You mean as far as gratitude? As far as having enough and saying you have enough. Oh, oh, right, yes. You know, yeah. Um there is no such thing. This is why we're constantly seeking and searching for more and more and more and more of whatever it is. I see what you mean. Um that's why this only comes through God. Yeah, this feeling that you have in that contentment that what you have is enough. I know this. I have had plenty and I've had nothing. Yeah, me too. I've had the Lord grant me blessings in giving me earthly earthly gifts and blessings, and he's taken them away as well. And so I understand this, but those moments are whether that's more or less, there's always a gratefulness in there because of the trust trusting the Lord because He is in the storm with you. This we know.

SPEAKER_04 15:19

And I want to say too that sometimes you really are in the I'm thinking about in Venezuela, yes, and a lot of people are going through very traumatic, horrible situations, and that's that's a difficulty to think about gratitude. Yes. But um, so there are moments when it's very difficult to do that. Yes. I totally understand it. Absolutely. Um, but we say try. And we will be praying for these people for sure. Absolutely. But to our listeners, we just um have some reflection questions to ponder, like what does enough mean to you? And are you waiting for something in order to be happy? Right. You honestly and truly, if you start this, you will start feeling happy. Yes. I mean, that's what happened with me. And I actually just feel very rich from it. Yes. And I'm not rich. I mean, not worldly rich. Right, right. Exactly. Um, and then have you overlooked some blessings already? Because we do that. So look for the ways that God has provided for you in unexpected ways. That's really cool. If you just kind of sit down, take some time to think through. Oh, and because I I just sit in those thoughts every once in a while, and it's a way to slow down a little. It truly is. Definitely. Um, four years ago, I received a message over and over and over and over and over and over and over again to slow down. And I was like, what the heck is going on? I mean, cards and people would say to me, Oh, you just need to slow down, Mel, you know, and I'm like, Well, I'm not fast. And so I was like, okay, Lord, I'll I guess I'll I'll slow down. I had broken my ankle, so that made me smell physical slowdowns. And and and it's but it still was like that. No, this is not this is not quite right. I think he's telling me something else. And when I started to just take a time, quite a bit of time, to just sit and read in the word and let it wash over me. And even if I didn't understand it, just read it. That slowed me down. That slowed my mind down, and that's what he was telling me. You are because I read everything, and there's so much stuff I've read that it's I'm never gonna use. No, it's not in really important for it. It's useless information. It is kind of, I mean, it's good information, but I don't even know why I'm reading it. It's just because it's interesting, I guess. But sure, you know. So I've kind of eliminated some of that out of my life. Um, and and I've uh stopped using my phone so much.

SPEAKER_02 18:22

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_04 18:23

Um, that was becoming an addiction. Sure. And so I just hang it up during the day and get to my painting or cleaning or whatever I'm need to be doing.

SPEAKER_01 18:36

Well, and you know that one of the things that the Lord showed you was that his gift and his um what's the word I want? What he is asking of you is to use this gift of creativity that you have with your art. And he has forced you, um, in some instances, to get back to your canvases. You know, right? It's like everything else around you is not important right now because I need you to paint.

SPEAKER_04 19:07

And trust me, things are swirling around me right now. Yes, and he wants my focus on this. Yes, he's called me to it. Yes, he has. So, and that's it's hard. Sure. Absolutely. It's been hard, but once I get painting, I am in a whole nother realm. I I it brings me joy. It really truly does.

SPEAKER_01 19:28

And that's what he wants for you.

SPEAKER_04 19:29

And so that makes me think about, you know, the contentment that we get. And and it is a practice to regaining our childlike hearts. Yeah, absolutely. And that the scripture talks about that. So we are we're in the practice.

SPEAKER_01 19:47

We're in the practice. And that's what we're that's what we're attempting to share with you. Yes. Is that um there's no right or wrong here. That's not what we're talking about. We're you know, we want we want to share um what has occurred in our lives, um, that we we've discovered over time and a little trial and error, um, that these are tried and true um experiences and practices, spiritual practices in our lives that have brought us contentment and joy, yeah, and have certainly brought us closer to the Lord. And that is truly our prayer for all of you that you find this. Yes. It changes your life. That's I mean, that is the best thing I can say. It changes your life.

SPEAKER_04 20:37

Yeah, well, and I think that it just uh brings you through recognizing God's faithfulness again and again and being open to what's happening around you because you can't deny it, you know. I mean, it is what it is, as the saying goes, which I really kind of hate sometimes. Yeah. But um, the more we focus on God's provision, the gratitude, the less uh power comparison has over us. Yes. It's amazing. Yes, really truly is.

SPEAKER_01 21:06

Yes, yes. God blesses, you know, and walks with us through these things, you know, to teach us, to draw us closer to Him. And to teach us what it is to um discover that you really are richer than you think. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:25

Yeah. Yeah. So we wanted to pass it on to you guys because we really I know it's important and I know it works.

SPEAKER_01 21:35

Yes, we do.

SPEAKER_04 21:36

Um God is good, and there's no question about that. That's right. And so we're kind of taking a little different road with our conversations. We want to speak a little more about our relationship with the Lord and things he's done in a good way. Yes, absolutely. And not sound preachy or teachy.

SPEAKER_01 22:00

That's not what we're trying to do, because we I mean, we have no idea who's listening, of course. And um, but we we sort of uh vowed, or you know, when we were bringing this whole thing together to do a podcast, the thing above all that we wanted to do was be honest, honest about our lives, and we've lived long enough that we've we have gone through some very good things and some very difficult, difficult things. And um we want to be real um so that people who are listening, you know, can trust what we're saying, I guess. You know, we're real, yeah. This is life. Yeah, this is life.

SPEAKER_04 22:49

So I guess in closing, we want to like just have a little prayer. Yes. So um, Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gifts and we thank you for all of the people that listen to us. Absolutely. I mean, this is amazing. We I think we've had like 50 people. And I mean, I know some people go, oh, that's not very much. But to us, too, isn't it? Yes.

SPEAKER_01 23:12

I mean we must do.

SPEAKER_04 23:15

We didn't know what to expect. So anyway, we we ask that you help us recognize your provision. Yes, to teach us contentment in every season and open our eyes to blessings we often overlook and remind us that true abundance is found in you in Jesus' name.

SPEAKER_01 23:33

May the Lord bless you and keep you, yes, and may his light shine upon you. Yes. And we pray all this in our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, amen.

SPEAKER_04 23:42

Yes. So until next time, um, I guess uh we'll say bye-bye for now. Bye-bye.