No Complaints

So, at church on Saturday, the message was about what we say. I am bad about this. We were given a list of things that we should control- lying, complaining, critizing, gossiping, meddling, boasting, insensitive remarks and off-color comments. I need to work on complaining, critizing and gossiping.

Today's task- COMPLAINING.

I have noticed this more and more about myself. The complaints are coming more frequently and easier. I am complaining more and being thankful less.
I am going to change this- not on my own, of course, because I can't. But, with God's help, I can!

So, this morning I decided to stop complaining, just for today. I told myself that I would think, really think, about what I was going to say before I say it. If I realized that a complaint was going to come out of my mouth, I would replace the complaint with a thanks. I didn't last an hour.

I got out of the shower and went into our bedroom for something. Now, bear with me, because you will need a bit of background for this story.
Two weeks ago I bought a new blanket for our bed. Our comforter was just too warm for us in the summer, so I found a thin brown blanket that I liked. It is perfect- soft, thin, cool. The only problem is, it leaves these lil fuzzies all over the place. Keith and I call them the "brown balls". They are everywhere! They are stuck on our sheets, on our bedroom floor, on our pajamas when we wake up, they fall off our pajamas onto the bathroom floor, you name it. So, I lint rolled our sheets last night to remove the brown balls. They looked so pretty and once again, I was very happy with our blanket. Well, this morning I noticed that the brown balls had returned in full force. I was complaining about the time that I wasted lint rolling the sheets yesterday. I caught myself and instead gave thanks for even having a bed to sleep on. Giving thanks made my complaint seem petty and meaningless.

I told my husband and co-workers that I am not going to complain today. They have been given full permission to make me aware of any complaints I give.
It's hard to be so aware of what I am going to say, but I can already see the day being more positive. Plus, it is making me realize all that I have to be thankful for. Work is a place that can cause a lot of complaints, but today I am choosing just to be thankful that I have a job.

I told myself that I would just get through today. I think I will extend it through the rest of the week. I may even write down the complaints I have and then list the thanks I should give. It will probably be a big eye-opener at the end of the week.

Who knows, next week I may even tackle my gossiping. :)