Annoying!

Not long ago I was reading an article about a study of the world’s most annoying sound. The article talked about many of the sounds that were studied but one came up clearly on top. It wasn't the sound of the sirens of emergency vehicles or the sound of a chain saw. It wasn’t the sound of someone learning to play the violin or of nails on a blackboard. No. The world’s most annoying sound? Whining! People from different cultures were given math problems to solve at the sound of whining and the stress was such that they had difficulty solving simple math problems.

As I read the article I couldn’t help but agree. Anyone who is a parent knows how difficult it is to deal with a whining child. It can drive us crazy! We patiently, and not so patiently at times, encourage our children to use their words and normal voices because it can be very distressing to hear the whining that comes out of these little people.

I realized though that whining is not just a child’s thing. Adults can whine too! And worse of all, as difficult as it is to admit it, sometimes I whine! Just recently I caught myself whining...to God! I couldn’t believe it! He’s been blessing me in incredible ways. I just posted about His incredible blessings to me these past few months, and I still found something to whine about. And my motive for whining? Rain!

That’s right, rain! It has been an incredibly wet summer here in the far north and the beautiful and hot sunny days of May and June are but a vague memory in my mind. All I can remember is that it has rained pretty much every day for the last several weeks with a few exceptions here and there, not enough to make an impression. So I have been complaining. I complain about it to pretty much everyone around me. And I look outside and complain to God and beg Him to let me see the sun. And every morning that I open a window and see the rain fall, I slouch my shoulders depressed and complain again to God that winter is coming and we didn’t even have a proper summer.

But children are a blessing from the Lord in more ways than we can imagine. Earlier this week my son opened the curtains of the window in his room and realizing that it was raining yet again, complained about it just the way I’ve been doing. It caught me off guard as I saw myself in him, and I suddenly realized that I needed to be more positive about it. Last night, as I was sitting outside under the covered porch listening to the rain fall, I asked God to forgive all my complaining about the rain and I asked Him to forgive me for inflicting on Him the world’s most annoying sound. I told Him how beautiful the rain was and how wonderful it was to fall asleep to the sound of the rain on the roof of the house. I noticed how fresh nature was all wet and how the little birds still filled the air with their songs. It was indeed beautiful. And I praised God that because of the rain we hadn’t had that many forest fires which meant no smoke up in the air. I can breathe nice, fresh air.

This morning as my son commented again on the weather I helped him see how beautiful it actually was. I directed his eyes to the fog that played between the trees and encouraged him to take in a deep breath of the fresh morning air. And we both thanked our Heavenly Father for the beautiful weather.

I know God smiled at this child of His who still has so much to learn and ended up giving us a gorgeous sunny day. We had a wonderful time playing outside and working on the yard.

And now as the day is over, I get to fall asleep to the sound of the gentle rain falling on the roof. My Heavenly Father is Amazing...

Photo by William Kasper

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

“So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.”
 I Tim. 6:8


“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.”
Philippians 4:11

Overflowing cup!

Recently I got together with some friends and we were asked to share a blessing from God from this past year.

Have you thought of how God has blessed you? I don’t know about you, but so many times it seems so much easier to focus on the problems and what is negative in life. A while back I was at a prayer meeting when people began talking about their problems, some very serious, and were asking for prayer. As I listened I felt like I needed to have some problem so I could share as well. I had in my mind the blessings God had so graciously bestowed upon me, but I felt like the good things didn’t fit when everyone was having such a difficult time. But then one of my friends shared on how important it is to acknowledge and express gratitude for the good things in life because everything good, every little comfort, is a gift from God. And those things need to be told over and over again.

I was encouraged by that thought. So often we focus and share only the problems, but it is so important to focus on the positive and to share more often the wonderful things God does in our lives.

Think about it. This world, if Satan had his way, would be all bad all the time. In fact, we really should only have bad things happening because that’s what we deserve. But good things happen as well and that’s because we have an Amazing God who wants to gives us good things. I truly believe we are encouraged in our walk through this earth when we focus on the good things.

So take a moment and think about the many good things God has given you today. If you are reading this it means you are alive and talk about an incredible blessing! And you can see and read! So many people have never learned how to read and so many have never seen the beauty of a flower or the face of their loved ones. Did you eat today? What about thanking God for the food He gives you at your next meal? So many people go to bed hungry. Do you have a place to sleep? Or did you have to lay down on the bench at the bus stop because you had no where else to go? Did it rain today? I used to live in a place with water restrictions and rain was simply wonderful. Did you have sunshine? Didn’t that just warm your skin and your soul?

The list can go on and on and I know from experience that the more you notice the blessings from God, the more positive and happier life will be.

As for me this is what I have to say about God’s blessings in my life: my cup is overflowing! And I want to shout it to the world because my God, the God who created the universe, loves me with this immense love and wants to shower me, and you, with good things!

 

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want."

Psalm 23:1