Monday, July 11, 2011

Chapter 3 - A Thankful Spirit

Hello! I'm so sorry I let an extra week go by between posts. I have found that I haven't had a very "Thankful Spirit" lately, therefore it's difficult to want to write about!

The opening quote says:
A wise woman sets a joyful mood in her home. Through laughter, music, and happy times, she creates a positive attitude in her children.  She knows that a lighthearted home relieves her husband of stress.


Proverbs 15:15 ~ "All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast."


"A Merry Heart vs. Poor-Me Attitude"
Ohhhh boy, here we go. This chapter is short and...cut-throat!
Debi starts out by painting a picture about 4 different types of women (I gave them names to summarize):

1. The Complainer - This woman might "often complain about her family's lowly financial state and how she must 'do without' because her husband 'cannot support the family decently.'" Debi says that this downcast, unthankful attitude is a dishonor to God and an attack upon your husband's ego. WOAH. Did you get that? I don't feel like I'm dishonoring God or attacking my husband's ego when I had a bad day and I just feel like being a butt...do you? Guess I am. Yikes.

2. The Conscience - These women might learn to accept their lowly states - "They don't want to be carnally minded.  They live only for the eternal. So they saves their disapproving expressions for those times when they think it necessary to remind their husbands of how sad they are that he sits in front of the TV, plays video games..." (uses his laptop in bed, insert your pet peeve here ______________), etc. They act as the stand-in Holy Spirit - keeping the pressure on!  *Ouch* Been there, done that.

3. The Grass is Always Greener Girl - Some women think these thoughts: "If only" we would move to the country, we would be happy and our children would be protected from sinful habits...if only we lived closer to church, or in a better neighborhood, or spent more time studying the bible as a family...if only...if only... *WOW* Make it stop! I see all 3 of these types of women in me!

4. The Content - Debi told the story of walking into a home with no running water, or indoor bathroom. Can you imagine? It had no washing machine, dryer, or kitchen cabinets. Yet the sweet young bride was happy as could be, exclaiming how thankful she was to have her own place.  She was so proud of her husband's shelf, and how he was going to build a cabinet later for their stuff. Seriously?!?! And I feel deprived when my dishwasher is broken for a week.

"Thankful people have a view of life that begins somewhere deep in their souls, and outside circumstances just can't mar their joy."

contentment

How amazingly beautiful is that definition? How can we get to that point, Debi?

~"Joy begins with thankfulness. Quite often our attitudes hang in the balance; by making a conscious choice, we can tip our souls into dark moods of complaining, or into thankfulness and praise.  It is amazing how much your mouth controls your soul.

~"Thankfulness is HOW you think; Joy is the abundance it produces"

#1 - DECIDE to choose the positive.
#2 - SPEAK thankfulness and praise. (Thank you, God; thank you, husband; thank you, children)

~Then practice, practice, practice!  Have you noticed how easy it is to get in a bad mood and stay in a bad mood? That's because we are practicing bitterness, frustration, and sourness.  Let's try practicing joy and thanksgiving instead!

Colossians 3:15 ~ "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also you were called in one body, and be thankful."


~ Time to Consider ~
-Joy is a fruit of the spirit! (Galatians 5:22-23)
-Where does joy start?
-Have I ben discontent about my lot in life? Am I, on occasion a "poor me" person?
-Do I verbally show thanksgiving every day?
-Do I thank God for my husband?
-How can I add practicing joy and thanksgiving in my life?
-Am i willing to lay down my grievance toward my husband for the hope of a heavenly marriage?

No comments:

Post a Comment