lessons

A story is told about an American businessman who visited a coastal village
in Mexico.
One day he found himself sitting at the pier when a fisherman in a small boat docked. Inside the boat the American saw two large yellow fin tuna. Impressed, he complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. "Only a short while," the fisherman said. The American asked why the fisherman didn't stay out longer and catch more fish. The Mexican said that two fish was all he needed that day for his family. The American followed up, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"
The fisherman said, "Well - I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor."
The American offered, "Look! I'm a Harvard M.B.A. You're doing it all wrong and I can help you. You should spend more time fishing and buy a bigger boat with the profit. As time passes with the proceeds you can buy more boats and eventually you'll have a small fleet. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you can sell directly to the processor and open your own cannery. Once you control the product, processing and distribution, you'd need to leave this little fishing village and move to Mexico City, then to Los Angeles or New York, where you'll run your vast enterprise."
The fisherman politely listened. "But, senor, how long will all this take?" "Fifteen to twenty years." "And then what, senor?"
"Oh, that's the best part. When the time is right, you announce an IPO, sell your
company stock to the public and make millions of dollars."
"Millions, senior? Then what?"
"You retire to a small coastal fishing village where you sleep late, fish a little,
play with your grandchildren, take a siesta with your wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings where you sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."


“If she come, I be happy. If she don’t, I be content. And then I figured that was the lesson I was supposed to learn” – The Color Purple


These are the lesson I’m learning. That I already have all I need to be content.

The first story appeals to my pride – my tendency to look to my abilities to find satisfaction, the second appeals to my relationships, when I look to other people to fill me up instead of receiving their love as overflow of blessing.

The reason I LOVE John Denver’s “Annie’s Song” is because it speaks to God’s ability to fill up my heart, providing the faithful love and satisfaction I need – the stuff of life that is not shaken,or dependent on circumstance or how lovable or competent I can be on any particular day.

You fill up me senses like a night in a forest
Like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain
Like a storm in the desert, like a sleepy blue ocean
You fill up my senses come fill me again.

It’s a love that meets me right where I am and promises never to leave.

be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you." Hebrew 13:5

God doesn’t turn away no matter how many times I run away.

Don't you know I've always loved you
Even before there was time
Though you turn away
I'll tell you still
Don't you know I've always loved you
And I always will