“I wish we didn’t have to live next door to the church; sometimes I feel like we have no privacy.”
“I’m about to go nuts revising this book—every time I fix something, a new problem crops up.”
“I’m not jealous of people, whose grandkids live near them, but I sure would love to be closer to mine—they are ten hours away, and we only see them three times a year.”
I’ve said all of the above. More than once.
It occurred to me recently that all of them are high-class problems.
Compared to most of the people in the world, I have it easy.
I have a home (the above photo is not mine, but we live in a lovely one).
God gave me the talent to write books. And revise them.
I have three gorgeous, healthy grandkids and enough money to travel and see them.
So—what am I complaining about? Lord, forgive me.
Ever find yourself whining about your problems, then find someone worse off than you?
lol...my husband is whining that we live too far away from the church! ;) There is a parsonage next door to the church that would be ideal for us, but since my daughter is going to be a senior next year, we need to live in the school's attendance zone. (Our next church is 20 miles away...and you have to take a very busy highway to get there, so we don't want her to have to commute to school!)
ReplyDeleteI used to whine about not having time to write, but now that I have it, I whine about how hard revising is.
And yes, there are always...ALWAYS...people worse off than you. Everyone has something to whine about, but it becomes a matter of pasting a smile on our face and praising Jesus for all the good in our lives. :)
Oh my goodness, your grandchildren are cute! Yes, I lean into complaining too often. I've felt convicted lately. My biggest complaints tend to be about uncaring or thoughtless people. Learning to grant more and more grace every day.
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
I can find myself whining especially about being single and always being the one to fix my leaking taps. But there is so much to be grateful for. I try to write three gratitudes a day to remind myself of all the blessings I have in my life right now. You have a very pretty blog.
ReplyDeletesigh. convicting post. I'm a youngest child so I perfected the art of whining when I was 2. :P
ReplyDeleteYes...I do! and then GOD jerks a knot in my fanny and reminds me how grateful I should be! Sometimes..I get so caught up in my own stuff. I am definitely still a work in progress.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
andrea
Lynn; I need to try this method. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJaime: I'm a youngest, too. Is that my problem?
Hi Jen -
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the saying, "I complained about having no shoes until I saw a man with no feet."
Is my life exactly the way I want it? No, but I'm thankful for all the good in my life.
Blessings,
Susan :)
Sometimes it's just hard "to count it all joy."
ReplyDeleteI find I grumble more than I should, when I have so much to be thankful for.
P.S. I never want to live next door to the church or in a parsonage. NO. NO.
Oh yes! Especially the grandchild and child part! I see them maybe once a year and feel blessed I finally have enough air miles to go on Mother's day this year so I won't be whining that day!LOL
ReplyDeleteI finally realized that whining/complaining only made me unhappier and didn't help improve the situation. I think I was navel-gazing too much.
ReplyDeleteNow I keep a Joy Journal where every day's entry begins with at least one blessing. I started it after I had cancer... sort of as an "it's a joy to be alive each day" thing. It helps me keep my priorities in order. Even then, mind you, there are times when I simply have to "take it to the Lord in prayer" and leave something with him.
Carol
I complain about mot having my parents closer allto often. I need to be thankful I have parents.
ReplyDeleteI complain all the time. However, I like you feel way to fortunate to stay there very long. I hate to grumble before my very gracious Lord. We are so richly blessed.
ReplyDeleteLevellie,
ReplyDeleteYes, I do complain then feel guilty when I realize how blessed I am. Today I had to dump some fruit that we let go bad. What other nation but ours has so much abundance that they let good food waste? I'm even ashamed to write this.
Good post.
Of my myriad of faults, grumbling is not a huge one, at least not on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteThough yesterday I was close to a fit over the smallest thing.
Definitely have a seesaw mood!!!
LOL.
Patti
My husband likes to ask, "Do you want some cheese to go with that whine?"
ReplyDeleteI had not read your post before I blogged mine yesterday. God must have a common lesson for us and many others to hear right now. Need to guard my mouth and thoughts in order to move ahead! :O)
ReplyDeletewww.dianeestrella.com
Oh yes. I went to pray the other day and out of nowhere I began to pray for Haiti and a family I saw there. They lost their daughter in the quake and their son who was a very good soccer player lost his foot. They lived in a tent, no meds for him after his amputation...no even for pain. When I though about how I was complaining about pain I was having that I can reach and take more than one thing for, I am never without pain pills. I just cried when I thought of this young boy in pain and nothing to help. My pain became a minor irratation. I can lie down in the ocmfort of my home. I have food I don't have to wait in line for the government or someone to give me. I might not have a job now and the money may be getting low, but I still have more the the majority of the world.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post Jen.
Wow, Analisa, your words help me get over my sorry little self. I am too small to fill even my world. Thank you, dear.
ReplyDeleteI used to whine about not having time to write, but now that I have it, I whine about how hard revising is.
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