I have been thinking a lot about contentment lately. As we have started off this new school year, I am trying to implement new chores and rules for the kids to teach them more responsibility around the house. I have also been on a frantic and a little bit obsessive organization spree trying to go through all our belongings and simplify or just categorize what we already have. And at the same time Nick and I have been refining our budget and finances. As I have been working on these different areas in my life the topic of contentment has been continually coming to my mind.
What is contentment? I tell my kids it is being happy about what you get or what you already have. But what does it really look like and how does it affect our day-to-day? My son Caden has extreme allergies and food restrictions. When he was born I didn’t know about these allergies or immune system problems but I knew something wasn’t right. Through a process of discovery and a long journey to healing we have learned that Caden is very allergic to nuts, eggs, dairy, gluten, dust mites, and extremely sensitive to dogs, grass, soy, corn and about 50 other things. Because of his allergies, rashes all over his body, and an immune system that wasn’t working we put him on a very restrictive diet. The diet is called Gaps and is basically an elimination/detox diet. It starts with only having soup for a few days and then slowly adding things in like meats, veggies, yogurt, etc. Because of Caden’s issues he really ate only meat and vegetables for about a year and a half. His body couldn’t handle adding other items in before that length of time.
To say this was hard is an under statement. It has been one of the hardest things that I have had to go through so far in my life. Caden had rashes all over his body and was extremely itchy. He would scratch until he scratched off his skin and was covered in blood. We would have to bandage him up, change bandages a few times a day, and then at night tape his clothes to prevent him from removing them and tape gloves over his hands so he wouldn’t scratch his skin off. During the time that his skin and reactions were the worst we were also on this extreme diet which means I had to prepare everything from scratch that Caden could eat. And this is only a glimpse into what it looked like during the worst time of Caden’s health crisis.
I struggled with contentment so much during this season. It was like everything inside of me couldn’t accept that this was my life and that my son had these issues. I was frustrated and upset about cooking the food and having to bring his special food everywhere we went. I felt burdened by having to always keep Caden from itching and waking up with him at night.
Caden would wake up at night and come in bloody from scratching. As we would change his bandages and put lotion on his wounds he would tell us how much he loved us. He would be so happy to snuggle with us after he was bandaged and would say how much he loved being in our room. For a while the only sweet things that Caden could eat were carrots and bell peppers. I think we cut thousands of bell peppers during that time. Caden would eat platefuls of those bell peppers like he was eating candy.
When Hallie would get candy or a treat at a birthday party Caden would ask to smell it and then he would put it back. He would talk about the different candies he would have in heaven or when God healed his tummy. We went camping with friends and my friend took her kids and Caden on a walk and they stopped at a donut shop. She asked Caden if he wanted to stay outside because he couldn’t have the donuts. He said that he would smell the donuts and be fine going inside. He even helped his friends pick out the donuts they could have and was excited that they got to eat them.
On Christmas one year we gave Caden a banana. He couldn’t have fruit yet so this was a big deal. We have a video of him opening up the banana. You would think he got a new puppy or the latest greatest new toy by the way his face lit up and how happy he was to get a banana on Christmas. When he opened it he looked to Nick and I in disbelief and asked, “I can have fruit now?” We had to tell him it was only for the day but that didn’t take away his joy or contentment with the banana.
As I think about contentment, I think about Caden. I have learned a lot about contentment from my son Caden. Not only was he happy when he didn’t get something he wanted but he was filled with joy even though he actually had to suffer. Is contentment just being happy with what you get and not complain? Or is it choosing to be joyful even when you get something that you really don’t want or have to go through something really hard.
I have a new picture of true contentment from my son. He was given a bummer deal with his allergies, rashes and immune system and he had many things taken away that weren’t his choice but through it all he was able to be content. And he even went beyond contentment and chose true joy.
The real life examples and lessons God teaches us through our kids are amazing! When Caden was born I had no idea the road that we would walk recovering his health or the lessons that journey would teach me. Even as we still continue to deal with issues concerning his health and allergies I can honestly say that I am thankful for these lessons. I am thankful that when hard things come my way I have a real life example of what it looks like to be content in the beautiful gift of my son. Which, as I write I am reminded of another gift that was given in a Son, the Son of God, who gives me the ability to choose joy and contentment in any circumstance!! Rachael
Renown Farm 
Leave a comment