The Greener Grass Conspiracy by Stephen Altrogge
/
Lee and I returned Sunday from four days at the beach for a marriage retreat with our church. That even meant we were gone on Sunday morning, which marks the first Sunday away since we began coordinating special needs ministry. It was a delightfully sweet weekend, rejuvenating spiritually and physically.
Returning has been sweet too, particularly because all the laundry in our house was clean and put away when I left, the house was clean (my in-laws were staying here, so I scrubbed things I don't usually get to!), and our kiddos were extra cuddly after having missed us (though they had a blast with the grandparents). Also, I had an IV of six vials of Remicade on Thursday, which has fully kicked in now, making me feel like Superwoman compared to the 150-year-old woman I've felt like for the past few weeks. And, finally, the AC in my car is broken, so we're homebound for a few days while that get fixed, which gives joy to this homebody after I was away from home for a bit. I feel no pressure to be out and about at the store or museum or bouncy places or friends' houses.
I feel very content. More so than last week? I have to admit that the answer is yes.
One of the main points of Altrogge's book is that contentment isn't meant to be circumstantial. I have much to learn before I can say that I can be content in every situation, like Paul learned. (Praise God, though, that Paul says he has learned contentment, because that means there is hope for me to learn it too. Contentment doesn't came naturally, especially not to me!)
It's a light read, with humor and brevity, but it is incredibly powerful as well. I shared that power last week, and now I'll share some more quotes from Altrogge:
Returning has been sweet too, particularly because all the laundry in our house was clean and put away when I left, the house was clean (my in-laws were staying here, so I scrubbed things I don't usually get to!), and our kiddos were extra cuddly after having missed us (though they had a blast with the grandparents). Also, I had an IV of six vials of Remicade on Thursday, which has fully kicked in now, making me feel like Superwoman compared to the 150-year-old woman I've felt like for the past few weeks. And, finally, the AC in my car is broken, so we're homebound for a few days while that get fixed, which gives joy to this homebody after I was away from home for a bit. I feel no pressure to be out and about at the store or museum or bouncy places or friends' houses.I feel very content. More so than last week? I have to admit that the answer is yes.
One of the main points of Altrogge's book is that contentment isn't meant to be circumstantial. I have much to learn before I can say that I can be content in every situation, like Paul learned. (Praise God, though, that Paul says he has learned contentment, because that means there is hope for me to learn it too. Contentment doesn't came naturally, especially not to me!)
It's a light read, with humor and brevity, but it is incredibly powerful as well. I shared that power last week, and now I'll share some more quotes from Altrogge:
This book is not the memoir of a contented man. It's not the poignant reflections of a white-haired guru who has finally figured out the secret to contentment. It's more like sweaty bloody, hastily scribbled notes from a battlefield...I can see contentment in the distances, like a hazy oasis, but I have to pick my way through a minefield to get there. (Introduction, pg. 14)
(About Paul's words about contentment in Philippians 4:11-12) These words should startle us and cause us to catch our breath. Paul says that he has learned to be content in every situation. Not just the happy, comfortable, "why, yes, I will have another latte" situations. (p. 19)
...I really do live every days as if I were the center of the universe. I want each day to unfold in such a way that I receive maximum joy and happiness. I want all the circumstances and people in my life to contribute to my happiness. When something interrupts my wonderful plan for life, such as a crying baby at 2:00 A.M. or a sinus infection, I'm unhappy because this is my world and these kinds of things shouldn't happen in my world. I don't actually speak those words, but every day I'm tempted to believe them, live by them, and treat others according to them. (p. 21-22)
Discontentment is the result of misplaced worship. It's the result of giving our heart to someone or something that should never have it. (p. 37)
When we complain, we're loudly saying that the blessings of the gospel aren't enough. We're saying that the death of Christ isn't enough. We're saying that eternal fellowship with God, purchased at great cost to God, isn't enough to satisfy our souls. We're saying that forgiveness of sins and peace in God is nice, but not that nice...We're saying that God himself, who is the very definition of goodness, isn't good enough. We would like a little something more, if you don't mind. God plus [insert desire of choice] should do the trick. We we complain, we accuse God of being stingy, of not giving us enough. (p. 72)
When I complain, I'm declaring that I serve a helpless, bumbling God. That my life is out of control. That he hasn't been faithful. That he isn't using circumstances for good. I'm smearing God's character and forgetting his past faithfulness. I'm telling the world that God is a pathetic, disorganized deity who can't seem to get my life straight. I'm telling a lie about God. (p. 106)And finally...
Discontentment begins when I start trying to be God. Discontentment happens when I attempt to displace God from his rightful place at the center of the universe. When I think that everything should run according to my plans instead of God's plans. When I forget that God is God and that he is allowed to do with me whatever he wants, whatever will bring him glory. Discontentment results from a big view of myself and a very little view of God. (p. 24)Crossway provided this book for my review, but they neither asked for nor required a positive opinion about it.