The following scenario may or may not have happened multiple times during our 27 year marriage. I plan a mini sabbatical and head off to a friend’s cottage, heavy laden with more books than any human could possibly get through in three days and spend my time reading, walking along the beach and praying. It restores my soul and resources me to re-engage with life. Upon my return, I walk into a chaotic house. The dishes have piled up, the laundry has not been done, the dog has vomited in a remote corner, and strangely, no one else has noticed. In that moment, I have a choice. Will I become indignant and express my disappointment? Or will I hug my husband and be thankful? I confess I have not always made what seems to be the obvious, best choice. When I choose poorly, the benefits of my time away instantly vanish.
Thankfulness does not come natural to me. I relate to the complaining Eeyore more than the effervescent Tigger. The last time I followed the above script, it became painfully obvious that my proclivity toward complaining was adversely affecting my marriage and my parenting. (My husband had been aware of this problem for a long time.) Because I believed in the power of the Holy Spirit to help us change, I embarked on a process to train myself toward gratitude.
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