Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: WALL (02/17/22)
-
TITLE: When is Enough Enough? | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn Borga
02/23/22 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
I returned home and critically surveyed my surroundings. The rooms that had seemed perfectly pleasing to me this morning now seemed inadequate and drab. I suddenly saw my no-fuss, minimalist style as lacking excitement. A seed of discontent had taken root, and I wondered what I should do about it.
My sofa was too new to warrant a change. Window treatments and floor coverings were too expensive. Although the pictures on my walls weren’t valuable, they were like old friends to me. Abandoning them for something trendy seemed like a betrayal.
A new coat of paint was the answer to my dilemma! Tomorrow I would look for the perfect color that would give my dull living room a satisfying allure.
The choice of color at the paint store was mind-boggling. There were thousands from which to choose: dramatic primary tones, airy pastels, and earthy tans that faded to the palest beiges. A timeless traditional palette evoked the past with historic muted blues, reds, and browns. There was even a color of the month collection; the very idea made me anxious. I hadn’t realized that home fashion trends were so fleeting. I decided to narrow my choices.
A neutral shade would blend with the rest of my belongings. But which palette? Gray, cream, white? I grabbed a few dozen color chips from the racks and headed for home.
Back in my living room, I sifted through the dizzying array of samples. I vacillated between the grays, which would coordinate nicely with my sofa, and the whites and creams. White would keep the room light, I decided. The names were enticing: alabaster, pearly white, oyster white, crushed ice, ivory lace. The nuances were endless. There was a Greek villa white, which led me to wonder how it differed from the white of an Italian villa.
I approached a wall with my color cards and tried to visualize the effects. I shifted to another wall to test the light. I shuffled through the cards again.
My eyes were drawn back to the samples of tranquil cream hues and to the little rectangle of color that reminded me of newly churned butter. Beautiful! It oozed serenity and warmth. And it looked oh, so familiar. I pressed the sample to my wall. Eureka! It was a perfect match to what was already there.
Years ago, on a mission trip in Panama, I helped a church congregation make improvements to a building that they used to minister to pre-school children. In the impoverished crime-ridden neighborhood, the people hoped to impact the young ones with the saving message of the gospel long before the drug cartels had a chance to influence them. The tin-roofed structure had walls covered with stucco, and the floor was rough concrete. The only interior decorations were the cheerful crayon drawings the children had made. Our team added suspended ceilings for insulation from the oppressive heat. We painted the walls both inside and out with the same medium shade of blue. We installed plain beige tiles on the floors. I remember the reaction of a young man called Sergio when he saw the finished floor.
“Thank you, Jesus!” he cried, clapping his hands with joy. “Now the children won’t get dust in their eyes when the teacher sweeps the floor.”
I left Panama vowing that I would better appreciate the comfort I enjoyed at home: hot showers, toilets that worked, clean water, air conditioning, refrigeration, safe transportation, and a home full of pretty things. The people at that church in Panama lacked all the blessings that I enjoyed daily, yet they lived lives of gratitude and praise. Whatever God provided was enough for them, because they had Jesus.
For a little while, I’d forgotten the lessons I’d learned. I took another look at my simple, clutter-free home with the creamy walls that warmed my spirit like sunshine. No longer discontented, I gave thanks. I’d been reminded that whatever God provides for me is enough, as long as He is guiding my life.
~~~~
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6 (NKJV)
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
Blessings
Your story made me want to start listing all that He means to me😂. But this is about your story- that He is enough; and your words showed a beautiful freshly churned butter coloured wall.
Loved it.