Gratitude and Contentment

Where it surfaces

• Return from the Voyage of Discovery

  Mother urges contentment and gratitude to God for their safety and reunion despite the failure to find shipmates.

• Chapter VI

  Mother expresses heartfelt thanks for the safe return and the acquisition of useful animals.

• Building the Ladder and Settling in the Giant Tree

  The family expresses contentment with their hammocks and meal, and the father reminds the boys to be satisfied with their accommodations.

• Settling in the Giant Tree

  The mother expresses joy and gratitude for their new home, and the family feels secure and at peace, thanking God for their preservation.

• The Parable of the Great King

  The parable encourages gratitude for God's gifts and contentment with one's lot, while the family's Sabbath observance includes thanksgiving and reflection.

• The Discovery of Potatoes

  The family's joy and thanks for the potato discovery, with the father quoting Psalm 107 to highlight divine provision.

• XIV

  The family enjoys their meal of potatoes and milk with joy and laughter, and concludes the day with evening prayers, expressing contentment in their simple life.

• A Bathing, a Fishing, the Jumping Hare, and a Masquerade

  The family's satisfaction with their simple supper of fish and potatoes, and their gratitude for the day's provisions, underscores a theme of contentment with their lot.

• Chapter XVII

  They wake with 'lively gratitude to Providence' for a safe night, and Fritz's rejection of useless money shows contentment with what is truly needed.

• Chapter XVIII

  The family gives thanks to God for their meal and the wine, and finds contentment in their simple yet resourceful life.

• Another Trip to the Wreck

  The mother's contentment with her kitchen garden and the family's appreciation for the new mattress reflect a theme of gratitude for small comforts.

• The Bakehouse

  The family ends the previous day with thanks to God for blessings, and the chapter emphasizes contentment with simple, homemade food.

• The Gourd Harvest and the Guava Discovery

  Despite hardships, the family finds joy in their harvest and the simple pleasures of guava apples and homemade utensils.

• Chapter XXIV

  The family's observance of the Sabbath and their heartfelt thankfulness to the Supreme Being for their preservation and provision underscores their contentment and gratitude.

• XXVIII

  The family expresses delight in their work and the fruits of their labor, showing contentment with their island life and the lessons learned from nature.

• Building Shelter and Taming Lightfoot

  The family expresses joy in their discoveries and successes, and the mother finds satisfaction in the utility of their animals.

• The Rainy Season and Resolve for a New Dwelling

  The family expresses gratitude for being rescued together, finds joy in simple meals and shared work, and concludes each day with devotional reading.

• Spring, Spinning, and the Salt Mine

  The family expresses profound gratitude for the arrival of spring and the beauty of nature, feeling content despite their isolation.

• House in the Salt-Rock; Herring Fishery

  The family expresses gratitude for the natural cavern and the unexpected herring bounty, avoiding complaint about remaining work.

• The Discovery of the Lake and the Building of Arcadia

  The family expresses joy at the strawberries and rice, and the father names the new site 'Arcadia' as a symbol of contentment and harmony.

• XXXVI

  The family expresses deep thankfulness for Providence and finds happiness in their simple, industrious life.