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Friday, August 8, 2008

How can I complain?

Some of you may never have heard of Laines Letters. Some of you have. If not I encourage you to go to http://www.lainesletters.com and sign up free for these wonderful devotions. I assure you, you will never be let down. This one below is her newest one and I just had to shar it with you all.
I will let the devotion speak for itself. We take all these things Laine speaks about for granted, we really do. Sometimes we forget that in the blink of an eye, that can all change. Will we complain or will we still continue our journey with the Lord?
As you read Laine's list, I would like you to think of your own and ponder on them for a moment. You don't have to share them with me, but maybe write it down and keep it somewhere to be seen when you have one of those day where everything is going wrong and you just want to throw in the towel.
And remember, we have nothing to complain about. :-)
God Bless You!
Love,
Dawn
Dear Sisters,
"Do everything without complaining or arguing." Philippians 2:14
How I hear these Words in my mind over and over, especially when I want to do one or the other. Mostly the complaining part. So within the last year I have had this imaginary conversation with a woman from the mid 1800's; and when I am tempted to complain, rather than to thank God for His many goodnesses, I say this silently to her in her era:
*How can I complain when I can hold the whole counsel of God in my hands and read it any time I want?
*How can I complain when I can go to the sink and hot and cold water pours out for me at the flick of my wrist?
*How can I complain when at the push of a button I can have instant heat on my stove?
*How can I complain when it takes me minutes to load my washer and at the push of a button all the work is done for me?
*How can I complain when I can get into my car and be at a market within 15 minutes?
*How can I complain when I can have hot or cold air piped into my car while driving?
*How can I complain when I can listen to the most beautiful music while driving?
*How can I complain when I can see the doctor or the dentist on the same day I am suffering?
*How can I complain when I can write a letter and send it to be received on the same day I sent it?
*How can I complain when the shelves are so full of good things at my supermarket?
*How can I complain when I can use double coupons to take off more than half of the price of an item?
*How can I complain when I can buy clothes cheaper than the cost of just the thread at garage sales and thrift shops?
*How can I complain when I can turn on this machine called a vacuum and it sucks up all the dirt for me in my house?
*How can I complain when I can turn my oven on and have a fresh cake in thirty minutes using a mixer first to mix it?
*How can I complain when I can sleep in front of a fan in the hottest time of summer?
*How can I complain when I can go to the air conditioned library in the summer and use their computers for free?
*How can I complain when I can talk to my mother in another state on a moment's notice over a hands free phone?
*How can I complain when all my trash is picked up every week by this huge truck?
*How can I complain when I can soak away my aches and pains in hot water piped right into my tub?
*How can I complain when I don't have to use an outhouse, rather a lovely bathroom right inside my home?
*How can I complain when I have this big above ground pool right in my backyard to jump into when it is so hot?
*How can I complain when with the flick of a switch I can listen to Christian music on my radio while cleaning?
*How can I complain when I have a closet full of clothes for my whole family?
*How can I complain when I can turn on my t.v. and learn a whole new recipe from a celebrated chef for free?
*How can I complain when I can go "shopping" from my freezer?
*How can I complain when I can buy canned food for my winter pantry already canned for me?
*How can I complain when I can lay fully back in my chaise lounge chair on a heating pad when I am ill?
*How can I complain when I want to go to a concert that I can listen to it right in my kitchen on a CD?
*How can I complain when at the flick of a switch I can light up a whole room?
*How can I complain when at the flick of a switch my bread machine starts mixing my ingredients for me?
*How can I complain when I can go to the library and obtain any book, CD,magazine, or recipe I want?
*How can I complain when I can open a door and all kinds of foods are kept cold for me in my fridge?
*How can I complain when at the flick of a switch I can blend a wonderful drink or batter?
*How can I complain when at the flick of another switch my iron is hot and ready to smooth out the wrinkles before church?
*How can I complain when I can add numerous long numbers accurately with a calculator I bought for a dollar?
*How can I complain when I need glasses now to read when I bought them for a dollar at the Dollar Store?
*How can I complain when I have so many competitive stores to shop from?
*How can I complain when I just turn on a hose to water my plants?
*How can I complain when there are so many beautiful parks to behold?
*How can I complain when the roads are so smooth and easily traveled?
*How can I complain when I can fly anywhere at a moment's notice if need be on an airplane.
*How can I complain when there are shampoos, toothpastes, soaps, and cleansers of all kind to clean, clean, clean?
*How can I complain when I can flick a switch and a crockpot slowly cooks my food all day while I am away?
*How can I complain when I can warm our bed before we get into it with the softest electric blanket?
*How can I complain when my family is far away who I can talk to on a cell phone?
*How can I complain when not having a vacation because I've got one whole day a week to enjoy?
How can I complain?How can I possibly complain?"For if a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that thedays of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied withgoodness...I say that a stillborn child is better than he...though it hasnot seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man,even if he lives a thousand years twice - but has not seen goodness."Eccl. 6:3-6
How can I complain when every day is such Sweet Sabbath Rest with Him?
Love,
Laine

9 comments:

Heart 4 My Home said...

I have been an avid reader of Laine's Letters for Y-E-A-R-S!!!! I love her. She is such an encouraging vessel.

Audrey said...

Thanks for stopping by, I live right outside the dfw area so we are getting the same heat. I dont think we have gotten quite that hot though, 108 was our top.

I agree we you on the line drying though, they are done in a flash!!

Amanda said...

Thank you for the comment! I too love Laine's letters and find them so convicting. This one is no exception!

Joyfully,
Amanda
http://amanda-online.com/blog

Anonymous said...

i too loved this devo when she sent it out! how i wish i always had her attitude!!!

Heart 4 My Home said...

Dawn ~ check out my blog. I left something for you my dear friend.

~Blessings

Michelle Therese said...

Wow...so true!!!!

I tell ya... the old saying, "Count your blessings" has done amazing things in my life! Once I learned to focus on my blessings, and even run them through my mind like a big list, I stopped "needing" so many things and I started to become very content with my wonderful life!!

DonnaB said...

I was touched by this devotion as well and I have no reason to complain...ever...yet I do fall into this trap sometimes.

June Elizabeth @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home said...

This is great, I'm going to link it to my blog. Thanks for sharing, I've learned alot from Laine's Letters in the past--and had no idea she had an email newsletter. Thanks for the tip!

Many blessings...

Kaira said...

I enjoy Laine's letters but she doesn't post as often as she used to.

I find good teaching though when I dig through her archives.

iheart :)