Two thoughts and a question

Read about a survey of 50 people over the age of 95 that were asked the following open-ended question - "If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?" Three answers were consistently mentioned in the results of the study. The three answers were:

• If I had it to do over again, I would reflect more.
• If I had it to do over again, I would risk more.
• If I had it to do over again, I would do more things that would live on after I am dead.

Sounds like things we could start doing now instead of waiting until later in life to wish we had done. What do we need to reflect on, risk, and invest in today?

Have been reading Philippians the last several days and noticed the contagious happiness and joy throughout Paul's letter. Take these brief verses out of chapter 1 (Message version). "Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamation of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart." (Philippians 1:3) "So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well...Live a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:9-11) We can't teach happiness. Yeah we can talk about it, but most of it is caught by being around someone who shows by their behavior what it is. Do we show that joy of following Christ to those whose path we cross daily and are watching us closely?

Finally a question that I have been thinking about. What is the difference between being content and settling? I struggle with the line between those two things. I hear people say we need to take things where they are at, but does that mean we are content or settling? I want to be okay with where I am at in life, but I don't want to settle in that spot. A lot of time I think we call settling contentment so that it excuses us from trying to change things. I want to be content with circumstances, but I don't want to settle for the fact that we can't change them. I want to always be risking and pushing forward, but doing so knowing that where I am at is part of the process. To me it is fine line that a struggle with finding the balance in. What do you think? I have been told that I have high expectations, but I don't want to settle for less than those. How does contentment fit into that? Those are some of my thoughts from this last week while I was unplugged from my normal world.