A Grateful Heart

I have been complaining a lot. Sometimes to my husband. Sometimes to my closest friends.

Mostly to myself.

2011 looms ahead of me. It is going to be filled with change...more than any of the previous 7 years, and I don't want it to begin.

Most of my life, I really haven't fought the inner battle with fear and worry and anxiety that other women I know have.

Until the last several months.

It is powerful...these 5 little letters...

WORRY

Some days I feel like it has the ability to lock me in a small cage.

Sometimes, a good night sleep can send worry to the dog house. Other times, a long talk with Brad or my dearest friends can pry off its grip. Mostly, it's the Word of God that frees me from it.

And...

focusing on the goodness of God and His past blessings and faithfulness towards me and my family.

For years now...literally...I have desired to make a "stone altar" in our home. I've even started acquiring a small collection of stones and have made a short list of words or phrases I would put on those stones. Brad and I have talked about it often, but have never sat down and done it.

The idea and practice of stone altars can be found all over Scripture. Joshua 4 is my favorite example. The entire nation of Israel has just crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land, and Joshua tells each of the 12 tribes of Israel to select 1 man to take up a stone from the middle of the Jordan and carry it over with them. In verses 6-7, Joshua explains that they are to do this to...

"serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

Why did they need to do this? I'm sure there are many, many reasons. These are the ones that have most impacted me:

1. Their God was amazing and had done great and wonderful things in their sight. He deserved to be honored and given the glory by doing this small act.

2. They were human and humans are forgetful. We easily forget what we had for breakfast or what time our doctor's appointment is or how God has brought us faithfully through previous hard times.

3. Their children needed to know what God had done....and their parents had a responsibility to tell them of God's great deeds.

I think all of this starts with being grateful and thankful for all God has done...and to copy it down...write it out on our door frames...place them on post-it notes around our houses.

I have felt challenged by Lindsay at Passionate Homemaking to begin writing down things that I am thankful for. Having a grateful heart can help destroy a grumbling and complaining spirit.

I would love to send my worry and grumbling spirit to the curb.

Here is a taste of what I've written down so far this year.

I am grateful for...

#3 - strategy gaming buddies.

#7 - God's revelations of His truth during Sabbath Rest (Gen. 45:8).

#12 - a healthy and growing 10 month old baby girl.

#14 - safety while driving on wintery roads.

#18 - babysitting swaps with friends.

# 32 - making "parade signs" with Sammy to welcome Baby Myles home.

#35 - an amazing husband who gave me a "personal retreat day".

These are just a handful from my growing list. But even remembering all of God's blessings and benefits from the last 7 weeks of this new year fuel my faith...and center my eyes back on God.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good..."