In All Things Give Thanks
In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Right behind trusting God, always giving thanks is sometimes hard for me to do. It's not that anything horrible is going on, it's just that I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by life and frustrated with myself for some stupid choices I've made lately.
But the point is, in my house, the hidden Eleventh Commandment is "Thou Shalt Not Whine or Complain." Both are irritating and non-productive, especially when I hear myself doing it.
So today, when I already spent a half-hour venting to a friend this morning on the phone, I decided that I need to give myself an attitude adjustment. It's all in how we look at things, right?
- When my 4-year old is chasing the dog and taking all of the clothes out of her dresser, I give thanks that she is healthy, and recovered from last week's nasty strep throat.
- When the 1-year old is climbing up my leg and yelling at me to pick her up, I give thanks that she is learning to walk and talk, albeit LOUDLY...
- When I stress that I spent too much money last month (on parties and home decorating), I give thanks that though we need to tighten the belt a little for a while, we can still put food on the table and live very comfortably.
- When my mom-in-law calls and says something equivalent to nails on chalkboard, I will not be offended, and I will give thanks that she is such a part of my daughters' lives.
- When I stress that I've over-committed myself, I will give thanks that God has given me some useful talents, and then I will prioritize.
- When I feel trapped in my house by the rainy weather and a still recovering child, I will give thanks for my neighborhood mom friends who are my lifeline to sanity.
- When my husband comes home late from work and either misses the kids or dinner, I will give thanks that he works so hard and has a good job that he (usually) enjoys that enables me to stay home.
- When one or both children wake me in the middle in the night, I will not think they are conspiring to kill me, I will give thanks that they are in my life, and that I can comfort them. (I will give even bigger thanks if hubby is the one to get up...)
Today I give thanks that God has put me where I am at this moment, and has opened my eyes to how great life is. I will count my blessings often, for my immediate and extended family, my old and new friends who keep me balanced, my health, my wonderful community, my children's pediatric office, and for the police officer who let me off with a warning the other day as I sped to the doctors' office with two screaming kids (because he didn't want to be responsible for making a mother go off the deep end...).
But really, I am most thankful for my God, who loves me no matter how much I whine.
Right behind trusting God, always giving thanks is sometimes hard for me to do. It's not that anything horrible is going on, it's just that I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by life and frustrated with myself for some stupid choices I've made lately.
But the point is, in my house, the hidden Eleventh Commandment is "Thou Shalt Not Whine or Complain." Both are irritating and non-productive, especially when I hear myself doing it.
So today, when I already spent a half-hour venting to a friend this morning on the phone, I decided that I need to give myself an attitude adjustment. It's all in how we look at things, right?
- When my 4-year old is chasing the dog and taking all of the clothes out of her dresser, I give thanks that she is healthy, and recovered from last week's nasty strep throat.
- When the 1-year old is climbing up my leg and yelling at me to pick her up, I give thanks that she is learning to walk and talk, albeit LOUDLY...
- When I stress that I spent too much money last month (on parties and home decorating), I give thanks that though we need to tighten the belt a little for a while, we can still put food on the table and live very comfortably.
- When my mom-in-law calls and says something equivalent to nails on chalkboard, I will not be offended, and I will give thanks that she is such a part of my daughters' lives.
- When I stress that I've over-committed myself, I will give thanks that God has given me some useful talents, and then I will prioritize.
- When I feel trapped in my house by the rainy weather and a still recovering child, I will give thanks for my neighborhood mom friends who are my lifeline to sanity.
- When my husband comes home late from work and either misses the kids or dinner, I will give thanks that he works so hard and has a good job that he (usually) enjoys that enables me to stay home.
- When one or both children wake me in the middle in the night, I will not think they are conspiring to kill me, I will give thanks that they are in my life, and that I can comfort them. (I will give even bigger thanks if hubby is the one to get up...)
Today I give thanks that God has put me where I am at this moment, and has opened my eyes to how great life is. I will count my blessings often, for my immediate and extended family, my old and new friends who keep me balanced, my health, my wonderful community, my children's pediatric office, and for the police officer who let me off with a warning the other day as I sped to the doctors' office with two screaming kids (because he didn't want to be responsible for making a mother go off the deep end...).
But really, I am most thankful for my God, who loves me no matter how much I whine.
