It’s funny how sometimes you hear something and it doesn’t apply to you at the moment because all is well with the world. Two weeks ago my pastor finished a series called “Thanks for What?” and, at the time I was feeling pretty good and grateful. However that changed this past Wednesday when my world was turned a bit upside down.
I was advised that I had a possible assignment starting this Sunday that would require me to fly to Dallas for the next two weeks. My heart sank. Didn’t they know it was the Christmas season and I have two ladies (my pet name for my girls 12 and 16) at home? The assignment would require long hours and only one day off with lots of required learning beforehand. I have to admit that my grateful heart went right out the window and I felt anger and resentment because I was picked. It would interfere with my time with my family, which is what is most important to me, and would throw a major monkey wrench into my decorating and entertainment schedule.
Needless to say, there were two things that began to plague me; worry and an ungrateful attitude. These two things came on even after my husband and I prayed about it. For some reason my anger got the best of me as I felt quite slighted. You see I was the princess. She was always taken care of and even got promoted recently and so I guess she felt a bit untouchable; until now.
This morning when I woke up, I felt the grumbling start and I stopped it, and bless Pastor Frank, I remember the message he had covered. I began this morning’s prayer with, I really don’t like what is being done to me but I thank you that I am blessed and make good money, and have been treated very well. I went down the list and I did begin by mentioning what bothered me and counteracted each and every single one with the good. My prayer ended with thanksgiving for all the good things and people in my life.
Friday is praise day for my writer’s group and one of the gals mentioned that she updated her blog with the direction that God was leading her. While I was reading her thoughts I remembered my husband’s prayer Wednesday morning. I kind of dismissed it because of my poor attitude, but heard it pretty clearly again this morning. “If Roz is supposed to be a blessing at this place, let it be as you want.” The light bulb went on and it was another AHA moment for me. I was so hung up on what I wanted to do, and how I was being affected, that I forgot to even ask “What do you want, Lord?”.
I went through a series of attitude adjustments -- tweaking the tude. First I had to stop grumbling and ask for forgiveness. I still had some grumble left so then I had to start thanking to counteract each ungrateful thought. Next, I had to put the trust factor back into motion and acknowledge once again that God is in control. Once I did all those things, I was finally at a place to ask God, “What do you want, Lord?”. It was only when I went through all these motions that I felt peace.
So what did I learn? I’ve learned that some times the princess needs to be dethroned because she needs to go through the exercise of tweaking the tude. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just part of life’s never-ending lessons. These types of lessons remind me how blessed I am, and how powerful attitude can be during any circumstance.
Tweaking of the tude...anyone?
I was advised that I had a possible assignment starting this Sunday that would require me to fly to Dallas for the next two weeks. My heart sank. Didn’t they know it was the Christmas season and I have two ladies (my pet name for my girls 12 and 16) at home? The assignment would require long hours and only one day off with lots of required learning beforehand. I have to admit that my grateful heart went right out the window and I felt anger and resentment because I was picked. It would interfere with my time with my family, which is what is most important to me, and would throw a major monkey wrench into my decorating and entertainment schedule.
Needless to say, there were two things that began to plague me; worry and an ungrateful attitude. These two things came on even after my husband and I prayed about it. For some reason my anger got the best of me as I felt quite slighted. You see I was the princess. She was always taken care of and even got promoted recently and so I guess she felt a bit untouchable; until now.
This morning when I woke up, I felt the grumbling start and I stopped it, and bless Pastor Frank, I remember the message he had covered. I began this morning’s prayer with, I really don’t like what is being done to me but I thank you that I am blessed and make good money, and have been treated very well. I went down the list and I did begin by mentioning what bothered me and counteracted each and every single one with the good. My prayer ended with thanksgiving for all the good things and people in my life.
Friday is praise day for my writer’s group and one of the gals mentioned that she updated her blog with the direction that God was leading her. While I was reading her thoughts I remembered my husband’s prayer Wednesday morning. I kind of dismissed it because of my poor attitude, but heard it pretty clearly again this morning. “If Roz is supposed to be a blessing at this place, let it be as you want.” The light bulb went on and it was another AHA moment for me. I was so hung up on what I wanted to do, and how I was being affected, that I forgot to even ask “What do you want, Lord?”.
I went through a series of attitude adjustments -- tweaking the tude. First I had to stop grumbling and ask for forgiveness. I still had some grumble left so then I had to start thanking to counteract each ungrateful thought. Next, I had to put the trust factor back into motion and acknowledge once again that God is in control. Once I did all those things, I was finally at a place to ask God, “What do you want, Lord?”. It was only when I went through all these motions that I felt peace.
So what did I learn? I’ve learned that some times the princess needs to be dethroned because she needs to go through the exercise of tweaking the tude. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just part of life’s never-ending lessons. These types of lessons remind me how blessed I am, and how powerful attitude can be during any circumstance.
Tweaking of the tude...anyone?
