Complaining / contentment

My new years resolution this year is to avoid complaining. Complaining about our circumstances, or people in our lives is a direct insult to God's goodness, who has blessed us out of abundance. The idea was spawned by St. Benedict's strict ruling against complainers in monastic life:

Under no circumstances should complaining be tolerated, no matter what the reason. Anyone found complaining should be subjected to most severe punishment.
-Ch. 34, Rule of Saint Benedict

Indeed, we've all heard the whiny teenager who sounds like a spoiled brat even though their parents continually pour into them. How much more shall we whine when God continually pours into us?

But, God's also been teaching me this new year that avoiding complaining is treating the symptom, not the disease. The disease that I suffer from chronically is discontentment. No matter how many skills I have, friends I make, papers I write, Toys in the garage, I always long for more, think about how life would be better if I just had _______. Life is soo good, and being content with what i have should be a key aspect to my worship of Christ. That doesn't mean I don't hold great Hope in what God has in store for the future, but my Hope isn't in my future but God's glory.
and thats about all i've got to say about.
-mike

Belize!

I'm back from Belize! It was an amazing time. We were down there with the Word at Work working on the foundation for a community library in the valley of peace. I really enjoyed making friends in Belize, and am really planning on trying to make another trip down there either this summer or next winter to follow up on a lot of the relationships we have down there, as well as see the finished library!

The construction was hard work, but it was great to work alongside the locals and it was really fun learning a thing or two about concrete construction from the foremen down there. In the afternoons, we would usually swim in the river or pool, and drink a belikin and talk about the day. On the weekend, we went to a coffee plantation in the mountains where we jumped off of a secluded waterfall and hiked in the jungle. We also did a full moon horseback ride where a bonfire awaited us, and had a great new-years eve party with a regge DJ and lots of locals to dance with.

The end of the trip was spend on a secluded island in the Caribbean, where we had time to snorkel, relax, and decompress from our time in Belize before returning to the states. The island was beyond description, like something out of a postcard. I am also extremely thankful for the others from Boulder (Randy, Danelle, Andrew, and Kevin) that went and the way we bonded on the trip. Enjoy the pictures!!
-mike