Our pastor has been doing a sermon series based on the book by Jon Gordon "The No Complaining Rule." Oh dear, my thoughts that first Sunday, I am the Queen of complaining. This isn't good! So, I decided to take a look at just exactly what it is that makes me complain the most.It certainly is not my family. I have the best husband in the whole wide world. My kids are amazing..my in-law kids are wonderful..my grand dog is the sweetest thing in the world..and my grandson, well he is without a doubt the cutest little thing you have ever seen. No complaining here. What else could it be?
I love my home, I love my job, I love my friends. I am blessed to have fished the Kenai River in Alaska; seen the sun shine on the Grand Canyon; and climbed a mountain in the Colorado Rockies. Hum....well it's not a travel complaint. What is it that I complain about the most?
Oh yeah..there is that weather thing. I do complain about that..a lot!!
What else do I complain about...let me think..I'll walk outside to clear my mind to see if I can remember what I complain about so much..Ugh, look at all that standing water..why can't it dry up..I wish this yard was bigger..and why did that tree have to fall over..and why can't I get more flowers to grow back here..and why do I have so many snakes...
Oh, no.. can it be..surely it's not...yes, it is! It's the garden. One of the things I enjoy most, is what I complain about the most!I will admit, I have a love/hate relationship with my backyard. I don't mean to complain about it, but I do-all the time! The fact is, the area is small, and difficult, but usually I get some good results because I love to work with it so much.
I decided to sit on the flagstone patio and think about all this. And I see this pot of beautiful pansies. The pastor gave us an assignment for the week-make a gratitude list. I am so grateful for these pretty fragrant flowers..I am so grateful I have a garden to sit in and can even be outside on a January afternoon.
I need to change my way of thinking. Every time I think of something wrong, I need to think of 2 things that are right. I need to stop complaining about the weather--I can't do anything about it anyway!
I decided to sit on the flagstone patio and think about all this. And I see this pot of beautiful pansies. The pastor gave us an assignment for the week-make a gratitude list. I am so grateful for these pretty fragrant flowers..I am so grateful I have a garden to sit in and can even be outside on a January afternoon.I need to change my way of thinking. Every time I think of something wrong, I need to think of 2 things that are right. I need to stop complaining about the weather--I can't do anything about it anyway!
I see another pot of pansies with a cute little bunny stretched out in front of it. And, as I look over the patio to a now empty bed, I think I see-yes, I see tiny tops of the daffodils I planted last fall starting to appear. Lady Bird Johnson always said, "where flowers bloom, there is hope."
I can't promise I will never complain again, but I am going to try really hard to look at the garden "issues"
as problems that need solutions. Not all will have solutions, but I imagine lots will.
It is not hard to find things to put on my gratitude list, and please know blogging friends, you all have a special place on that list!
"Gardening is an exercise in optimism. Sometimes, it is the triumph of hope over experience."
It is not hard to find things to put on my gratitude list, and please know blogging friends, you all have a special place on that list!
"Gardening is an exercise in optimism. Sometimes, it is the triumph of hope over experience."
Marina Schinz
13 comments:
Yep, I'm as guilty as you, complaining about the weather, the garden, the weather's affect on the garden! A former boss used to refuse to see things as "problems", she always looked upon them as "opportunities"; that was a great outlook, I should try to have that outlook a little more often.
As always I LOVE your pictures and boy oh boy! what a tough assignment. I'm thinking how much of a whiner I am when my blessings and joy soooooooooo out number anything I have to whine about. Thanks for sharing.
Nola--oh, I like that, "opportunities!" I will try and remember to use that word more often! :)
JJ--I am a whiner along there beside you! I am very blessed and have no reason to whine at all! I just need to keep that in mind next time I start to complain!
Such a great philosophy! I complain about winter, and it's a hard habit to break. I'll try to do better, just like you! I never knew about frozen fog either till moving here to Ohio. Maybe it happened in Michigan too, but I wasn't into photography then, so I never noticed! Now I'm addicted to it. Every time it's a cold fog, I check for crystals.
LOL yup guilty here too! But its a good type of complaining because its something that motivates you to make changes instead of complaining about other things(-: I try everyday to be positive and even when people try to bring me down I just try harder to ignore them(-:
I feel the same as you as far as family goes. I couldn't ask for anything more(-: OK well maybe a million dollars...(-:
Enjoy the rain and cool temperatures like I do because I think of Summer when its bone dry here and I am wishing for rain and coolness(-:
Hi Linda, Oh yes I think I'd have a hard time facing up to my complaining. But it is human nature to complain-yes? And sometimes we just need to get it off our chests. As long as we remember the good things and think positive it all works out in the end-even gardens. P.S. The more I work in the garden the less time and energy I have to complain:) And we are always here to listen:)
Robin-your fog pictures are absolutely beautiful! In fact, all your pictures are so good! I really enjoy them!
I need to try and not complain about the weather like I do. We don't have it bad here in Texas..sigh..something I will work on! :)
Cindee-your post are always positive and uplifting! Makes me feel good to read them. Guess we all wish for things we don't have, but my complaining is getting out of hand! :)
Very good point Tina--we do need to get things off our chest, I hadn't thought about it like that. Gardening is my passion--but I don't have enough time OR enough space and the space I do have is difficult. (not complaing, just stating fact!) Once it warms up and I am back out working on the little beds, I will stop being so negative. (I hope!) :)
Thank you for the reminder nudge! I will try to do better :)
Barbee--you are always so positive! Not me--call me Ms Negative! :) I have worked on not complaining all week! I have a long way to go though!
Hi Linda, I think your garden is always pretty. I realize we sometimes don't agree with what is going on at the time but it happens for a reason.
I use to complain but since breaking my leg I've learned rather fast to be grateful for all. Now I'm just happy that I have another day to enjoy my garden no matter how it looks. Even after having tornadoes touch down here. Property damage but "Thank God" no life was lost.
I agree Lola, sometimes it takes a little "nudge" to sit back and count our blessings. (I think maybe our pastor is doing just that!)
I didn't realize you had a tornado! Was that recently? There was a town (Canton) about 60 or so miles from here that had a tornado hit last week. And it's winter! Texas weather! :)
I think your backyard plot is wonderful! Everyone complains about Mother Nature, after all...the word "mother" reminds everyone she the one to listen!
Thanks for the kind words Dawn. Like Tina reminded me, we do need to get the frustrations off our chest. Just hate to be so negative! :)
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