Complaining

Have you ever felt like you wanted to hurt your child or spouse? I mean seriously. Sometimes they push buttons. Recently a minister of a church asked a similar question. As many parents, I am able to admit that yes, sometimes my son drives me nuts! I am certain a spouse can do the same thing.

Well, even as the children and spouses upset us, we still carry on living life and doing what we should in a family. As a parent and spouse, clothes are washed, clothes are ironed, and money is sometimes exchanged. All these luxuries of having someone to help.  Then one day the one thing you asked that child or spouse to do, they don't. You asked that child to clean up their room, but it's a mess. You asked the spouse to stop and get milk. Then he or she comes home empty-handed. One thing. You only asked for one thing. Well...

I'm going to get real spiritual right this moment...

You only asked for one thing.

So does God. 

He has asked for one thing! Can you imagine how He feels when you complain? All that He has done. As a Christian, it is only required of you to be a good person, honor God, follow some rules. Are you aware that you WOKE up this morning? You have likely been blessed with material items like clothes, food, a car, and a home. If you are reading this, you were certainly blessed with LIFE itself. Yet you find time to COMPLAIN. What is there to complain about? Imagine how you felt when your child or spouse made you feel - unappreciated. Often times you - I know I do feel like I'm not appreciated for all that I do. All that I help with. All the self-less acts.  Then it is that one time I ask for something - I feel like all that I did was in vein. All that I said, all that I helped with went unnoticed. 

Yes, life is about doing things that should go unnoticed, but why should what God has done for us go unnoticed?  Why are we trivializing life? Why are we complaining about the not-so-cool job? Why are we complaining about not having those new shoes? Why are we complaining about anything?!

Someone asked me what I gave up for lent - my response was excuses.  Excuses to not do anything I need to do. Well, after looking at life in the manner the minister explained, I have to add complaining. I am not only going to give up complaining for lent - I am giving it up period! I'm living life with no excuses and no complaining. What about you?

It works. Try it.

Recently my son and I took a trip out of town for a few days. I left my car in the airport garage and we flew out. We returned a few days later to find that the car didn't start. I am guessing that I left on an inside light or something. Anyway, I proceeded to make phone calls. Of course no know who I knew was able to help. I called the roadside assistance. From that phone call, I was told it would be at least an hour before someone could come help. There were no help phones around and I didn't see any security patrolling or watching by camera. My son in the meantime begins to panic. He got out the car and said "what are we going to do?" I told him that I had made some phone calls and someone was coming to help. It was going to take them a while, but they were coming. What does he do? The newly turned 8-year-old walks back and forth with his hands folded in prayer position. He has his hands up and his eyes closed praying out loud - "God please help us; please." He repeats this prayer as he walks back and forth. I didn't tell him to pray. I wasn't praying aloud - inside I'm asking please Lord let this car start. Well, just as my son begins to pray, a security personnel pulls up.  She proceeds to ask me to try to start the car - no luck. However she did have a way to "jump" off the battery.  Meanwhile, my son is still praying. Just as she hooks up the cables to the battery, the car starts.

The lesson learned in this story is that prayer really does work. Seems like my son had the better idea of praying aloud. Prayers can come from all ages. Prayers don't need to be fancy. Prayers don't need to planned. Just pray and things will change. It may not seem as simple to some, but if you were there the moment he begin to pray with all his heart and belief, you would understand how mighty that prayer was. We were sort of stranded during an early morning hour while most people were celebrating with family or shopping for the holidays. It was a moment when it was little help around - all my son knew to do was pray. Tears and Prayers - my son saved the day.  It works. Try it.