Discontent often has its roots in our neglect or forgetfulness. The old cliché that says “I complained about having no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet” is a sober reminder to us that we are, indeed, blessed above and beyond what most people in this world could expect or even imagine.

This was illustrated to me very vividly Monday night. We had company visiting with us from out of town. Our guests were from Louisville, KY. Naturally the climate and scenery is much different there. They have just come out of a hard winter. We went out to supper and then I drove us all down to Fort Desoto Park at about the time the sun was setting. You can imagine their delight, being from “up North” to spend a pleasant evening on the Gulf of Mexico, feeling the breeze and watching the beautiful sunset.

I was struck by the fact that we live here and could drive down every night to watch this beautiful scene if we wanted to. These gorgeous landscapes and seascapes are right in our own backyards and we often don't appreciate them. We were all reluctant to leave the pier, feeling the breeze, smelling the sea air and listening to the sea birds. As darkness fell, we walked over to the fort and climbed the stairs to the top. The stars were out and awe inspiring. We stood silently gazing at the sky for several minutes.

Whenever we start to feel discontent, it is often helpful to start counting your blessings. God has been very good to us all. Let us not neglect to recognize this and thank Him every day.