Complaints to Blessings

I am no stranger to the common complaint. Whether dishing it out to my friends and family, or being on the receiving end of a complaint, I am very familiar with them and understand why we partake in complaining from time to time. We see it all the time on social media: people complaining about work, their kids, their husbands, their cars, the weather, the common cold that they just can't shake off. Complaining is a natural and humanistic thing that has become all too common in our society. It is my prayer that through this extremely honest entry that my readers will try to turn their complaints into blessings.

Today is my son's 4th Birthday. The first thing that I wanted to do today was complain about the fact that I have to work all day, instead of being with him. I was feeling rather down during the first part of my day about how Sawyer was spending his day with his Mi-Mi, rather than his parents. My entire outlook on things about this day changed when I saw a post on Facebook about a former co-worker of mine who has been recently diagnosed with Leukemia. When I read this, I immediately broke down. I wept for this person. It may or may not have been because of my hormonal state, but regardless, I felt the need to stop what I was doing and pray. I prayed so hard for this person, that my bones were shaking. I also took a moment to thank the good Lord for not only my good health, but my family's health as well. I was completely moved and humbled today by the fact that I more often than not, take my health (among other things) for granted. Amidst this time of prayer, I took the time to thank God for all of the other small, yet significant blessings in my life that I typically overlook and see them as things to complain about. Things like the fact that I actually have a job, and one that I love going to everyday- which is something that is rare in this world and should never be taken for granted; also things like the fact that I have the support of my parents and in-laws that are willing to watch Sawyer during the day so that Tyler and I can work and provide for our family. That, right there, is something that should never be taken for granted either. Finally, one of the things that I have been complaining about a lot lately, is my constant nausea, fatigue, and extremely sore (for a lack of a better word) breasts. The fact that I am even pregnant is a miracle in itself and I should never catch myself complaining about it, especially when there are so many women out there in this world who would give ANYTHING to trade places with me.

I shared this extremely honest, and personal message with you today because I felt convicted. I am guilty of complaining about certain things or situations in my life instead of thanking God for the blessings that he has filled it with. While there are a lot of things we can probably complain about, at the end of the day, there are a hundred more reasons for you to feel blessed. Take time out of your day to thank God for whatever it is you feel he has blessed you with. It is my prayer that my readers will join me in the movement of turning our complaints into blessings- because we all have something to be thankful for.