No Griping

"Do all things without complaining and disputing." Philippians 2:14

Boy, that's some hard words to live up to! It's hard to get through a day without complaining! I complain daily it seems lately because my daughter won't do her homework without a fight. Or neither of my girls will clean their rooms. But is my complaining helping get the job done? Am I setting a good example for my kids? I want my daughter to quit griping about having to do her homework so I am responding to that by griping AT her about her griping! Where does that make sense? I am feeling more stressed and she is feeling more stressed. We end up in a fight and in bad moods. It ruins our whole night. Before I know it, the whole family is fighting. It's very true that a complaining spirit is like a cancer. It can undermine the spiritual and emotional health of not only one person, but also the entire group. If i just take the time to sit down with her and talk to her and help her with it, she will do the work. She doesn't need the help. She wants the one on one time with me. She just wants me to read the sentences to her. She knows the answers. She just needs some attention. As for the room cleaning. I know they both want me to help them. This is where we have a problem! I refuse! I didn't make the mess. I'm not cleaning it! I have done things to help them. It's not enough....they basically want to sit while i do it. Sorry darlings grow up i'm not your maid! Anyway....back to the point.....i'm still working at this No Griping rule. It's a really hard one. Some days all i want to do is gripe and whine. But i never feel any better. I usually feel worse as the day wears on. And on those days it does WEAR on! It feels like a weight on my shoulders. But if i practiced the adage "When you feel like griping, start counting your blessings", i'd be a whole lot happier. I have tried that on some bad days and it really does work. I had a wise woman once tell me to start what she called a Love Journal. Every day just simply write a note to God. Doesn't have to be much. Just a little something to tell him that you know He loves you today because......... It can be something as simple as Dear God, I know you love me today because when i woke up the sun was shining, my kids didn't fight before school, and i can hear the birds singing. It's amazing how good something so easy makes you feel. I'll admit there have been days i have even struggled to find something. I try not to put my husband and kids in there a lot. Although i certainly do know by looking at them that God loves me. The biggest thing to remember in all of this though seriously is that everything we do, we are doing for the glory of God. Whether it is our daily job, homework, raising our kids, cleaning our house (even the toilets), going to church, relating to our spouses, EVERYTHING we do....it is all for the glory of God. What's to gripe about?