The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence and maybe more abundant….
This saying is very true of stock both sheep and cattle. Our cattle and sheep are always poking their heads through the fences to get to the greener and more abundant pasture on the other side.
We practice rotational grazing, and my husband has already locked up a paddock to cut for hay. Well, we have a great time when we move the stock through this paddock to the next one as they want to stay where the grass is abundant. It can take quite a while to get them moved with a lot of arm waving and noise.
This saying is very true for us as well. We seem to be always looking over the proverbial fence at our neighbours and friends and comparing ourselves to them. Their lives always seem to look more greener and abundant.
Now I must say that I am very content with my lot in life. I love being home and teaching our children. I love where we live and I am blessed with the fact that my husband can work shorter hours to be with us a bit more. We don’t have an abundance of money but we manage to pay our bills and we are happy. This contentment has been a long time coming with lots of life lessons to get there.
This said I still seem to look over the fence at what others have. It seems my contentment is not enough to stop the looking.
I learnt a valuable lesson the other day. I caught up with a friend that I hadn’t seen for quite a while. She shared how her life was going and what had been happening for them. I was quite taken back with what she told me. I thought that their life seem to be quite easy going, finances being abundant, but I was wrong. I realised that by looking over my fence at their life and comparing us I had missed out on the reality of what was happening.
On their side of the fence they were struggling to make ends meet and my friend was now working full time away from her home and family.
I need to not judge what colour the grass is or how thick and lush it seems to be because sometimes it seems better when it really isn’t.
I don’t always need to look at others and think what they have is better than what we have. I need to turn my eyes to Jesus and crave Him in my life over anything else.
It says in Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”.
It is stating here to keep our lives free from the love of money and be content with what we have. To me this also means to stop thinking that others have more than us or are better than us and be content with what God has given us. It means to not think we need to earn more money so that we can buy more things to keep us happy. Things do not bring the happiness and joy that a loving Father can bring.
I really smiled when I saw this picture and thought this is so true as well. Let us stop looking and start watering our own lives with the Word of God and watch it start greening and thickening up.
We don’t need stuff and money to keep us happy? We don’t need to compare or strive to be like others. God says He will never leave us nor forsake us, that is all we need.
This post is linked here…
What a great post!! 🙂 Stopping by from the homemaking party hop!
What a wonderful post! I have often found that those who look like they have things so much better, are really just putting up a facade to hide what really is. Thank you for the reminders about Hebrews 13:5, and to water our own grass! 🙂
Hi Kelli, thank you for your comment blessings to you and yours.
This is the foundation of my blog and I could not agree with you more. Contentment is based on focusing on what you have good on your side of the fence. Stopping by through the Essential Fridays blog hop.
I agree! My husband and I have been struggling with his retirement date and ultimately the day we can move up to our future homestead, which is our dream. We decided it will be sooner than later. This means we will have a bit less money each month, and the first year will be a struggle because we will be living on his pension only as he isn’t old enough to get social security yet. But, we know so many people who retire later in life and then die within the first year or two! Life is too short and we figured as long as we have enough money to live on, that we will make do. For us, living our lives together is so much more important than having the newest car or the best clothing.
Hi Vickie, thank you for your comment. I hope that God will answer your prayers regarding your future. Blessings
The picture you share at the bottom says it all… if the grass looks greener on the other side, water yours. And there is no more powerful option than the living breathing Word of God!
Great post!
Blessings,
Dawn
Thanks Dawn, blessings x
So true!
Hmmm, yes, this is so true. You made me remember a time I went out to the pasture to find one of my lambs stuck with her head through the fence… she’d spent the night there on her knees because she’d crawled through for some green stuff on the other side and couldn’t get back out again without help. 🙂 But too often, as you say, we see only part of our friends’ lives and it looks better than ours, but we don’t know their reality. God gives each of us what we can handle and we probably wouldn’t be able to handle what our neighbours are! 😉 Thanks for sharing.
Amen! That was very good. I had been talking with my husband this very morning about being content and I loved post so much I had him come and read it with me. He too enjoyed your post. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Stefanie for your comments. Blessings
This is a fantastic post. Sometimes people tell me “you have such a great life” and I know they mean “you are single, no children and you make great money”. But you know I do have a great life but it is not because of that, it is because I have put my faith in God wholeheartedly. When my father was diagnosed with cancer, all those things were threatened especially the finances. But thankfully God has been a great provider for me and a great comfort which is why even in the midst of “making ends meet” I am happy and loving my life.
Thanks Maria for your comment on this post. I am inspired to read that you are content and happy even when life is tough. God truly provides all our needs. May He continue to give you comfort and peace. Blessings Terri