My life is full of crap....
I don't know about you, but I catch myself constantly complaining about things in my life, while I may not do this verbally, I find myself complaining mentally quite often. Just the other day I was grumbling about having to wash and fold a small mountain of laundry and I was muttering under my breath as I loaded and unloaded the dishwasher for the third time that day. If I were to write down a list of my daily mental complaints, I am sure I would be too embarrassed to show anyone else.
Being a new mom has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me in my life, but it has also been one of the most difficult. I have quickly learned that being emotionally and physically exhausted can wreak havoc on my behavior, thought process, and MANY other things. It has also (I must unhappily admit) affected my mood and attitude on some occasions. One day earlier this week, after less than five hours of sleep, I was particularly grumpy and yet I found five minutes to one-handily check my email. I began to grumble whenever I saw the fifty emails sent to me from some website that my mom had used my email to register for. On accident, I opened the email and realized I had happened upon a devotional email. I began to read a few lines and then deleted the email thinking nothing more of it.
I was reminded of what I had read yesterday as I swept my kitchen floor, wiped down the counters for the umpteenth time, and put up the leftovers of the meal that took me an hour to cook, and five minutes to eat. I was grumbling once again in my head and I heard these words being spoken to my heart, "Some people would give anything to have a kitchen floor to sweep, counters to clean, and leftovers that need to be put away. Instead of complaining, thank me for it." I quickly brushed this thought away. Yet, at 12 midnight, I found myself mentally complaining again as I held Isabella who was fussy and fighting sleep--I wish this baby would just go to sleep. I am so tired and I want to go to sleep. I miss the days of crawling into bed and sleeping until I want to. I'm tired of her crying. I heard words being spoken to my heart even louder than before, "How many thousands of women, couples, would give all they have to carry a baby, give birth to baby, and have a precious child like you're holding in your arms right now. Thank me for her. Thank me for these things."
I suddenly felt ashamed, while I have thanked God for all of these things mentioned and many others not mentioned, I suddenly realized that I had only been thanking him for the GOOD in these things. So today, as I cooked a meal, cleaned up afterwards, washed yet another load of clothes--instead of complaining, I simply said, "Thank you God that I have clothes that need to be washed. I know some people need clothing. Thank you God for a house with a kitchen in which I can cook and clean. Thank you God for the food I have to cook food to nourish me and my family". And again as I held my precious but fussy baby, with tears in my eyes, I prayed, "Lord thank you that my precious baby girl is healthy and alive and is able to cry and fuss and be with me".
The words that I had tried to disregard earlier in the week, have truly changed my perspective on thankfulness and have reminded me that I need to give thanks for the good things in life, as well as all the "crap".
"Look at the menial tasks of doing laundry, grocery shopping and cooking as a noble task that God has called us to. Come to these tasks with an eager attitude. If this is a struggle for you – pray and ask God to help you. Get on your knees and thank God that he has provided for our basic needs of clothing and food and never stop giving thanks!" (Women Living Well, 27 May 2012).
Being a new mom has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me in my life, but it has also been one of the most difficult. I have quickly learned that being emotionally and physically exhausted can wreak havoc on my behavior, thought process, and MANY other things. It has also (I must unhappily admit) affected my mood and attitude on some occasions. One day earlier this week, after less than five hours of sleep, I was particularly grumpy and yet I found five minutes to one-handily check my email. I began to grumble whenever I saw the fifty emails sent to me from some website that my mom had used my email to register for. On accident, I opened the email and realized I had happened upon a devotional email. I began to read a few lines and then deleted the email thinking nothing more of it.
I was reminded of what I had read yesterday as I swept my kitchen floor, wiped down the counters for the umpteenth time, and put up the leftovers of the meal that took me an hour to cook, and five minutes to eat. I was grumbling once again in my head and I heard these words being spoken to my heart, "Some people would give anything to have a kitchen floor to sweep, counters to clean, and leftovers that need to be put away. Instead of complaining, thank me for it." I quickly brushed this thought away. Yet, at 12 midnight, I found myself mentally complaining again as I held Isabella who was fussy and fighting sleep--I wish this baby would just go to sleep. I am so tired and I want to go to sleep. I miss the days of crawling into bed and sleeping until I want to. I'm tired of her crying. I heard words being spoken to my heart even louder than before, "How many thousands of women, couples, would give all they have to carry a baby, give birth to baby, and have a precious child like you're holding in your arms right now. Thank me for her. Thank me for these things."
I suddenly felt ashamed, while I have thanked God for all of these things mentioned and many others not mentioned, I suddenly realized that I had only been thanking him for the GOOD in these things. So today, as I cooked a meal, cleaned up afterwards, washed yet another load of clothes--instead of complaining, I simply said, "Thank you God that I have clothes that need to be washed. I know some people need clothing. Thank you God for a house with a kitchen in which I can cook and clean. Thank you God for the food I have to cook food to nourish me and my family". And again as I held my precious but fussy baby, with tears in my eyes, I prayed, "Lord thank you that my precious baby girl is healthy and alive and is able to cry and fuss and be with me".
The words that I had tried to disregard earlier in the week, have truly changed my perspective on thankfulness and have reminded me that I need to give thanks for the good things in life, as well as all the "crap".
"Look at the menial tasks of doing laundry, grocery shopping and cooking as a noble task that God has called us to. Come to these tasks with an eager attitude. If this is a struggle for you – pray and ask God to help you. Get on your knees and thank God that he has provided for our basic needs of clothing and food and never stop giving thanks!" (Women Living Well, 27 May 2012).
How uplifting! Thank you for sharing this post. I've had a hard time the past two weeks caring for my home and this has helped me want to drag myself into the kitchen and do the dishes among other chores. So thank you for inspiring me and good luck with that fussy little cutie.
ReplyDeleteYou are so welcome! Thanks for your comment!
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