If I knew then what I know now {writing prompt}

Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually,

that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.  

Hebrews 13:15

Complaining?  Well...that's the easy way out.  And thanksgiving and praise?  They will often be a sacrifice.

Last week, my husband had to take a work-related trip to Tennessee and stay for a few days.  The bonus? He would get to spend some time with my mom and her husband since they live only an hour away from there.  The bigger bonus?  He would bring Joelle and Brienne with him and they would get some special time with their grandma.

It was all settled over a week in advance.  The girls were beyond excited.  Every day they would talk about going to Grandma's.  From what they would bring and where they might sleep, to what snacks to bring on the trip with dad.  They were so excited about their special trip!  And I was excited for them.

Sometimes the unexpected happens.  

To put it tactfully, a stomach virus made it's presence known in our home the night before the trip.  Some of the children were showing signs, some were not...but it became very apparent that attempting to make the trip with any of our children under these circumstances would be far too risky for everyone involved.

Our girls went from being very excited to very disappointed.  It was heart breaking.  I shed a few tears and they shed quite a few more.  They needed time to mourn their loss and I gave that to them.

Sometimes when a big thing disappoints, even the little things are harder to take.  That morning, when I attempted to iron my husband's shirt, I discovered that our iron would not work.  The thing would not even turn on!  Things just weren't going well for us.

I stood at my kitchen sink feeling a big complaint coming on. 

The trip being canceled for the girls was very disappointing...yet I had turned to the Lord in trust.  I saw this as being in his hands.  He was not surprised by this illness in our home and he meant it for our good.  I prayed with my girls, we focused our attention on God who was still in control.  

Yet, as I stood there by my kitchen sink, I just wanted to complain about my iron...and I did.  I verbalized it.  

"Whose iron just works one day and doesn't work the next?"

Well...mine, obviously.  I just wasn't willing to face reality in that moment.  

Well it just so happened that I was about to sit down and work on chapter 4 of my Bible study.  

This was the question: When and for what are we to give thanks? (according to Ephesians 5:20)

Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father 

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 5:20

Then I read this paragraph.. (from the book "Refresh Your Heart" by Claudia Barba)

Is giving thanks always easy and natural?  Is it sometimes very difficult?

When you give thanks because it's right, not because you feel like it, 

that's a sacrifice of obedience.  You are sacrificing your "right" to complain--

your natural inclination to say just how you feel or how resentful you are 

that things haven't gone your way.  You are doing what is supernatural

rather than what is natural.  This kind of obedience is better than any animal sacrifice.

[I will praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

This will please the LORD more than an ox

or a bull with horns and hoofs.

Psalm 69:30-31]

You should have seen my jaw drop.  It was just what I needed at just the right time.  To think that I can sacrificially offer thanksgiving to God, even when I don't feel like it, and that is pleasing to him.  Wow.

Even just now as I was typing I had to pause to see what Joelle needed in the kitchen.  I was dismayed to discover that a small sippy cup is wedged into the drain.  A perfect fit.  Joelle attempted to get it out and then  called me in for reinforcements.  I could not get it out either.  You don't know how bad I wanted to complain.  It would be soooo easy to gripe about.  I mean, I finally found a pocket of time for quiet reflection and a cup gets wedged in the drain!  Of all things!  

This time would be different though.  This time I understood that praise and thanksgiving are very often a sacrifice.  This time I would choose to please my God instead of my self.  I would not be complaining.  Hard as it was to resist the urge,  I WOULD NOT DO IT.  Not with my lips nor in my heart.

Because I love my God and my thanksgiving is a fragrant aroma to him.  And it is a very pleasing sacrifice.

I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving 

and call on the name of the LORD.

Psalm 116:17

[I spoke with Javier and let's just say we will be launching "operation cup removal" when he gets home this evening!  Daddy to the rescue!  :)  We both had a good chuckle over the wacky things that sometimes happen in this house.  And I was overjoyed to report my little victory over complaining.  The seemingly small, everyday moments really do matter don't they?]

Linking up for the writing prompt here: http://www.ellenstumbo.com/if-i-knew-then-what-i-know-now/