rainy days

I am about to sound like such a whine bag, but I miss the sunshine already.  It has been partly cloudy for two days and I feel BLAH.  I also know I am getting older because I talk about the weather.  I remember when I was a kid thinking how old people sure did talk about the weather and who was kin to who a lot. 

Well, I am old now.  I do both.  I also drink black coffee in the afternoon and think that the radio is too loud in the car.  It rattles me, and I turn it down constantly. 

The rain today and being stuck inside tested me already. I was aggravated and agitated.  I felt restless.  The bad thing is that I was not the only one who was in a mood.  My kids were too. 

I will honestly be glad when we all go to bed tonight and start over again tomorrow.  I currently hear an argument brewing over how many yogurts have been consumed since our trip to the grocery store.  Yes, someone is counting. 

I think I was tested on the lesson I taught today in Sunday school.   We talked about not just being hearers of the Word, but doers.  James shoots it straight. He says in James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.” 

I gave the girls one example of how I put the Word into practice.  I give thanks often.  It sounded so sweet at the time! 

I shared with them that I believe giving thanks is a lifestyle and a daily practice that has changed my life.  Again, it sounded so sweet and even easy at the time. 

I did manage to give some thanks today.  I looked up and saw the kids out back swinging with their lambs. It was precious.  I gave thanks, but was thinking in my head that this instance was the first one in a while with them all smiling together!

My husband rigged up the fishing poles and repaired last summer’s damage.  My son, Bosque, could not wait to fish and went down to the pier tonight.  He was elated.  When I ran by them at the lake fishing together, I thought it was the cutest thing ever.  I gave thanks, but I kept on running to increase my serotonin levels. 

My daughter made a red velvet cake.  It was amazing. I gave thanks, but thought with every delicious bite I did not need the sugar!

By the end of the night, I remembered the first part of our lesson that I read out loud from James in class.  It says “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for a man’s anger does not bring about a righteous life that God desires.”  I would not say I was angry, but I was on the way. 

I realized in hindsight too I should have just listened more and talked less. That is the best plan sometimes.  Nothing I said was very positive.  The words in James came back to me.   

I played games with giving thanks all day and the LORD knew it. He knows all.  He sees all.  He loves me when I am up.  He loves me when I am down!  So, I will go to bed tonight and try again tomorrow because Hebrews 13:8 says “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”