I live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida in an area called Land O Lakes, in a subdivision called "The Preserve at Lake Thomas", and I love it. I originally titled this month "Blooming where you're planted" but after writing it realized it was about contentment. After 17 years in Kansas, 17 years in California, 10 years in Arizona, and 6 years in Texas this is the first time I've ever lived on the East Coast. The bay area is known for beautiful white beaches, but I don't really enjoy laying out on the beach. It's famous for great seafood restaurants, but I'm not a big seafood eater. There are many fabulous golf courses, but I'm not a golfer. Boating is very popular but I'm not into boating. Fishing is huge, and I live on a fishing lake but I don't even own a fishing pole. Swimming is quite popular, but I don't swim. There are nice museums, but I have no interest in visiting. There are many amusement parks, but I rarely go (haven't been to Disney World in my life). Tampa has a well known zoo but I've never seen it. There have been hurricanes, but they didn't bother me. There's also a plethora of bugs and flying insects, but pest control applications keep them at bay. Tampa is well know for cigars, but I don't smoke. It's famous for strip clubs but I've never been and don't intend to go. Florida's called the Sunshine State but it seems to rain every afternoon all summer. Professional sports are covered by the Buccaneers for football, the Lightning for hockey, the Rays and spring training for baseball, and basketball is in Orlando with the Magic. At best my attendance is spotty for most sports and I've never been to a Magic game.
You may recall from my first sentence that I love where I live. The Tampa metro area has about 1/2 the people of Atlanta or Houston, but about twice as many as Charlotte or Nashville. That comparison is with other southern cities, as I've purposely tried to live my adult life where it doesn't snow. Although it gets warm in the summertime, weather statistics state Tampa's never topped 100 degrees and rarely drops below freezing. The ethnic and cultural makeup of the people here is more diverse than anywhere I've ever been. I have more friends and more acquaintances than anywhere I've ever been. My employer has seen fit to move me and my family to three different states in the past 15 years, and moving for the sake of employment was not a new phenomenon before then. Every move I made since I was 17 years old was paid for by an employer who desired I live somewhere I wasn't living. The idea of living where there were things to do that I was interested in was a foreign thought. It was foreign because earlier in life I purposely didn't get involved or interested in things so it wouldn't bother me to leave them. A similar approach to people meant avoiding any deep relationships to sever when it was time to move again. For whatever reason, I mentally did this less with each move (mysteriously in parallel with the growth of my relationship with God) and did not do that at all when I decided three years ago we were moving to Florida from Arizona (home of the 120 degree summer).
I set out early to put down roots in the community and in church. I was (and am) fascinated with the wide variety of countries people are from that I've met since moving to Florida. Between family, work, church, Toastmasters, and my involvement in our HOA, my schedule seems full. Based on where I live there are many many opportunities to develop hobbies. I enjoy looking at the water, eating out is wonderful and I've learned golf outings are more enjoyable for me in the morning and when only the first 6 strokes per hole count. Jet ski's provide a different experience than boats, and spiritually fishing for men means more to me than physically fishing for fish. I'm sure the activities that will end up on my busy schedule will include people rather than things. Valuing time with others is part of a concept called blooming where you're planted. Plants can't choose where they're planted, and many times if they don't bloom they're torn up and thrown away as worthless. Bloom wherever you're at and don't wait to get started!! The people surrounding you were not placed there by accident, nor are you where you are at by accident. Recognizing that will help focus the value God has placed on each one you know and each one you meet. Contentment is when the circumstances or location you are in doesn't determine your happiness. There are times I have to be reminded that the outcome isn't up to me, but my obedience will result in an inner peace that is not a temporary happiness. I'm content and I hope and pray you are also, or will become more so by reading about my life's journey. This doesn't mean everything is perfect, it means perfection for me is the way things are.
