Everyday Talk

"Do everything without complaining and arguing,"  Phillippians 2:14a

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength." Proverbs 17:22

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5

The list goes on and on ...

Do you know how many times a week day I talk to my girls about thankfulness, contentment, not whining, not arguing, about how true joy and satisfaction comes from Christ?   It's a never ending conversation.

But then again, do you know what's really humbling?  ... I have the same struggle in my heart (maybe just as often as they do). I'm prone to desire more than I've been given,  try to find lasting joy in things other than God's love, and struggle with having a thankful heart.  I get upset when things don't go my way! Dissatisfied, complaining, whining. 

I'm so thankful that God has forgiven me for those sins, and lately I've been thinking about how my own complaining and everyday talk influences my children ... in the "big things" and often in seemingly small situations like traffic or when these winter days are lasting a bit too long for my taste : ) 

Just this morning, I was disappointed when I had to cancel some plans b/c the big storm hit just as I was putting the girls in the van.  If I had just left 10 minutes earlier I would have missed it and arrived at my destination in time.  We all have these random, "small", disappointing moments, right?  But then the grumbling started to spew from my mouth.  Anna asked, "What's wrong, Mom?"  I was then reminded of the verse that I had just reviewed with Payton this morning - "This is the day the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it."    Ahh... what a wonderful thought.  I talked with the girls about being disppointed, the needed rain, and how we were going to take advantage of the slow and quiet day indoors.

And that is what we did.

The last 3 photos are from the Memory game that Anna and I played together.  Anna is still at the age where I beat her nearly every time, but this time she won!! ... fair and square and by a lot.  Do you see her stack (and her excitement)?