Hello friends, I hope you are doing well! It has been a nice summer over here so far. I’m settling into learning how to can and preserve produce from my garden, which has been nice.

My green beans haven’t produced as much as I had hoped so far. I have a few more planting just now coming in so hopefully they will do well.

This weekend I asked my husband to take me to a nearby Old Order Mennonite Farmers Market to purchase green beans. We do have green beans in storage already, but I wanted to practice canning them. I thought this would be a good thing to learn how to do.

Once you turn off of the main highway it is like stepping back in time. This group doesn’t use electricity, and they travel by horse and buggy. The countryside is beautiful, and clotheslines with simple clothing dot the landscape.

I picked up beans along with peppers and a watermelon. I also purchased goat milk soap to hold us over until I make our own. I bought lye and some molds off of Amazon, and now I just need to learn how to properly make it.

On the way out, I picked up a brochure they had handy called “The Worldwide Plague of the Smartphone.” It was interesting. I have pondered how to use my phone less, since I don’t think scrolling through it is the best use of my time.

Their way of life is so different from mine, and yet they are content by all appearances. In fact, they are flourishing. They thank their customers for giving them a wholesome way to support their families.

This is the type of contentment that I hope for. A contentment that isn’t based on technology at all. I want all of my joy to come solely from God and by walking out His will for me.

I was reading in Romans 15 today. In verse 18, Paul writes, “For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Messiah accomplished through me, to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed.”

I want to walk in this obedience with perfect contentment. The world does not have anything important to offer me. What’s important is that I serve the Lord with my whole heart.

A lot of times when I can tell that my contentment is lacking, I am encouraged by those who willingly choose to forsake the world (like the folks at the market). It is a lie from Satan that I do not have everything I need. The Lord has already provided abundantly for me.

Let’s remember that God’s will for us is to be perfectly content as we walk with Him. This is a tremendous blessing.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today. I hope your day is full of blessings.