Lesson 18: Always Go to Bed Appreciating What You Do Have

“Okay, it’s time to go to bed,” I THANKFULLY said to my older two children.  It’s been a super long day yet again and I couldn’t wait for them to go upstairs and GO. TO. BED!!! As I cleaned up the school area, I listened to the two say “Nite, nite” to their youngest sister over and over and over again.  They were stalling and it took everything inside of me to not go into…da da duuuuuummmmm…CRAZY MOM MODE!  As I continued to move things around (not really cleaning), my ears heard something other than the bedtime complaining and requests.

Laughter. Joy. Excitement.

Before I got a chance to remind my children that it was time to go to bed, my oldest takes my toddler by the hand, said something to her that made her laugh and they ran up the stairs laughing and squealing.  Meanwhile, my baby girl continued to laugh and bounce as she watched her siblings run up the stairs.  I’m pretty sure she was waiting for an encore presentation from them. 

As I took all of this in, I was reminded to appreciate what I have.  You see, throughout the day, my older two argued, fussed and fought over pretty much everything…even the light switch for the SECOND day in a row! They got on each other’s nerves! But at the end of the day, they appreciated each other.  Today was another difficult day for me on so many different levels and in so many different areas of my life.  Appreciating what I have was the furthest thing from my mind.  But after watching this display of love, I stopped what I was doing and spent time with my oldest two before they went to bed.  As I brushed my toddler’s hair and braided it up for the night, my son read books and made his sister laugh.  I appreciate that wonderful gesture.  As I sat and greased my son’s scalp (he’s spoiled rotten…sorry future daughter-in-law) we chatted about friends both old and new.  I appreciate his honesty and willingness to share.  As we prayed, I appreciated the fact that my children know God is real and He hears us. 

Lesson Learned? No matter what is going on in your life – no matter the amount of bills that are piling up or the health issues that are trying to take over your mind or the argument with your spouse or the amount of cleaning that needs to get done or that load of laundry that refuses to dry or the mistakes that you’ve made throughout the day – always go to bed appreciating what you DO have!

Good night, guys.

And know that I appreciate the fact that you guys are hanging in there with me (even through my inconsistencies).

Lesson #16: I have M.T.T. ________!

Ever since we turned the clocks back one hour, my days seem like they last for-ever!!! Last week I kept asking my son, “what time is it again?” and each time his answer was met with my “that’s it!” response.  It became so unbearable (in my dramatic voice with my hand on my forehead) that twice last week I sent my children to bed at least an hour or so earlier than their bedtimes.  One of those times my son laughed so hard he began to cry at the thought of going to bed almost two hours before his bedtime.  I’m still processing that one.

So, when my husband went to a men’s conference at the end of the week, I really believe that I literally experienced a 24-hour day in a span of 5 hours.  It had to be the longest day ever in the history of days! Early bedtime for all was inevitable.  Well, early “go to your room and watch a movie” kind of night was inevitable.  (Yes, TVs in the kids’ rooms…Don’t judge me, please… It’s my survival kit. Lol)

As I sat in silence on the couch, on the verge of tears, I began to think about how many things annoyed me in the past week.  Between my family getting sick, me catching whatever they had, things going on with other family members as well as my friends, I had an awful lot to complain about, especially since it seemed like I had more time to complain.  The sad thing is, I felt like I could justify every ounce of complaining that went through my mind and out my mouth.  I even looked at our thankful wall and complained about how there’s not enough thankful pictures on the wall.  Crazy, I know.

Then it was like God just stopped me in mid thought and immediately I began to say “But, I have more time to thank Him.  I have more time to praise Him.  I have more time to talk to a loved one.  I have more time to play with my children.  I have more time to…” Yes, the days may seem like their longer but just like I took the extra time to complain and feel bad, I have More Time To feel good! I literally began to dance around and repeat over and over again “I have M.T.T.!” Every time a negative thought came to my mind, I repeated “But, I have M.T.T. Dance.  I have M.T.T. Hug. I have M.T.T. Laugh! I have M.T.T. Talk. I have M.T.T. Live!”

So, let’s have some fun with my new motto! List your M.T.T. in the comments and let me know what you have More Time To do!

Lesson #7: Be Thankful in All Situations

This week, in our Bible Class, we discussed being thankful in all situations.  As my son and I went down the list of questions to figure out whether we were complainers or thankful people, the “uh-oh” expressions on our faces said it all.  Sad to say, we could only answer “no” to 1 out of the 8 “do you complain when…” questions.  This lesson made me think of something that took place a few weeks ago.

My husband has an office area in the basement and at times he works round the clock.  Naturally, from time to time he gets hungry. When he is in his “work groove,” he doesn’t want to come upstairs to have a meal.  So, he keeps a few snacks handy for these moments.  Up until one very special homeschool day, this had not been a problem.

“Hello. Have you seen the peanut butter? I am so frustrated.  Today has been such an awful day.  WE REALLY NEED TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING.  I don’t have it in me to go today.  Nothing is working out and then I went to make lunch and we don’t have anything that matches.  I know we had peanut butter and I was going to make peanut butter and jelly…”

“Oh, it’s downstairs,” my husband calmly says in the midst of my rant (during his busy work day).

“WHY IN THE WORLD IS PEANUT BUTTER DOWNSTAIRS!” I said in my I am “so at a loss” frustrated voice.

“I needed a snack,” he says with a smile on his face.  How do I know he had a smile on his face? I took a training course during our dating/engagement season when we would spend countless hours on the phone.  Joking. Seriously, wives can tell when their husbands are smiling on the phone.

He did apologize but my irritation would not go away.  I wasn’t finished expressing how upset I was that the peanut butter was not in the kitchen.  As I continued, I turned to face the pantry where I saw A LOT of food sitting there.  I immediately stopped and said “Thank you Lord that I even have peanut butter to eat” followed by a heartfelt apology to my husband.

At that moment, I began to think of all the people in the world who don’t have food in their cabinets.  I was actually complaining about 1) mismatched food (REALLY?!?!?! Who does that?) and 2) the inconvenience of having to go downstairs to get peanut butter, when there are so many people who would love to have those options. 

This was something so trivial to complain about but how many times have I complained in the last 24 hours? 12 hours? 2 hours? In the last 30 minutes?   It’s really sad how often we complain about things.  What’s even worse, hearing our children take after our complaining attitudes.

I don’t know how many times I get upset with my children for having an attitude when they don’t get their own way or when I “inconvenience” them during play time or tv time to help me with something.  Isn’t that how we treat God when we are “inconvenienced” by someone or something He sends our way on a busy day? We complain about how much we have to do at home, at church, for our family, for our church…complain, complain, whine, whine, whine, whine, whine! That’s us! Our children, the ones we tell to stop whining…Our children, the ones we tell to fix their faces…Our children, the ones we tell to change their attitude…Our children, the ones we tell to be thankful…Our children, the ones who are imitating what they see and what they hear…

We have a “Thankful Wall” in our kitchen.  This wall is full of pictures of things that we are thankful for, things that God has done in our lives.  Every memorial day, we take the pictures down and begin new thankful pictures.  When we have a complaining or any negative attitude, one family member takes that “troubled” family member to the Thankful Wall until the attitude changes.  This year, we haven’t been on point like we have in previous years and it shows.  Tomorrow (well later on today), the Thankful Wall will be updated and back in action!

Do you or your family members struggle with this issue? Find a special way that will remind your family to stop complaining and start thanking! Be thankful in all situations and you will see a change in you.  Be thankful in all situations and you will see a change in your children.  Be thankful in all situations!

picture by Frederick Goodall

“Do everything without complaining or arguing” Philippians 2:14.

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.