Monday, July 16, 2012

Thankfulness

God has funny ways of teaching us things sometimes.

Mom and E came for a visit almost a week ago. While they stayed at my house (3 nights), mom usually got up first and proceed to do the dishes while she boiled water for coffee.

When we were talking one day, I confessed that I hate doing dishes. I didn’t mind at home, where I could rinse them and put them in the dishwasher, but doing each and every single one by hand had gotten old fast.

Mom said that when it came time to do the dishes she always remembered a sign my Grandma Ruth (dad’s mom) had near her sink. It said something to the effect of don’t complain about the dishes, because it means that your family ate well.

Tonight, as I went to do the dishes, I remembered this. It’s funny how I’ve taken the verse "Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18), to mean only the big things – that I was safe after the car accident, that God has provided a job, that my family is healthy. But I’ve forgotten to apply it to the everyday mundane things.

Dishes - I’ve eaten well today, many people in the world don’t get that chance. Walking to work in the snow after the accident – despite being car-less my body was still healthy.

It’s easy to complain about the small, tedious things in life. But in the midst of them, I need to remember God’s blessings and thank him for them.