When You Want Thanksgiving to Replace Your Grumbling

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”
1 Chronicles 16:34 ESV

“This is so dumb! Nothing ever goes right!”  

I say it, and then I duck my head, ashamed as I realize how petty I sound. How I wish it were the one and only time I expressed such discontent.

Lately, I’ve been begging God to season the words that come from my mouth with grace and gratitude. Too often, though, they’ve tasted of bitterness and dissatisfaction.

In my mind, I’m grateful … really I am. I know how good I have it. I know how blessed I am.

I simply have to look around to see it. A warm, fully furnished house to live in. Shelves and a refrigerator filled with food. Healthy children. A committed husband of 27 years. Work I can do from home.

Grumbling

The list is truly endless. Yet, here I am, complaining at the slightest disturbance.

My mind realizes how good I have it, but apparently my heart hasn’t gotten the memo yet. If it had, I’d be singing endless songs of thanks instead of whining about how unjust a situation is and how rotten I have it.

Grumbling comes easy when we expect to receive what’s never been promised. An easy life. Fast Internet. No bugs. Tasty, quick meals.

When that doesn’t pan out, we spew our disappointment. When we focus on what we want instead of the gifts we receive, our hearts get all twisted and sour….

When we focus on what we want instead of the gifts we receive, our hearts get all twisted and sour. Click To Tweet

Reason to Always Give Thanks

God's enduring love is the very reason we can always give thanks! Click To Tweet

I’m so excited to post be guest posting once again on Jana Kennedy-Spicer’s wonderfully encouraging site, Sweet to the Soul. Read the rest of my post here! 

Reflections: What are you most prone to grumble about? What might happen if we’d focus on the gifts received instead of what we think we should receive? 

It’s been more than 5 years of counting and I’ve well passed 5,000 gifts in Ann Voskamp’s Joy Dare! What a blessing! Here are numbers #5503–5523. Read my entire list by clicking here.

• *Close up of bald eagle; *Back in the comfortable routine of home; *Finding one last apple on our tree to get a couple bites out of
• *Receiving another fun surprise book in the mail; *My young miss feeling better after a 6-hour nap; *Yummy rhubarb-apple crisp
• *The dedication and work ethic demonstrated by our oldest during this grueling election season; *Beautiful Wednesdays; *Getting to spend some time with Joey by virtue of dentist appointments (hey, a mother of a teenager needs to take what she can get)
• *Forgoing morning work to spend a couple hours outside with Hubby; *Thursday sunshine; *Baking more rhubarb goodness
• *All the boys home; *Sharing baked goods with our neighbor; *Hanging around the goofiness of young adult siblings
• *Pulling off a surprise party celebrating Mom as her 80th birthday approaches; *Mom’s tears of joy; *Cousins enjoying time together
• *Thanksgiving potluck at church; *Time we had with Zach; *Catching up with a sweet friend after dropping Zach off at college

By His grace ≈

Julie