May 22, 2013
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The self inflicted pity party.
Such an easy event to pull together.
All you need is a situation not going in the direction you like. a little discontent. some selfishness.
a bit of complaining. and Voila! You’ll find yourself celebrating! Celebrating and wallowing in pity.
Why is it we always expect everything to fall into place for us?
Like we deserve much better than what we’re being served up in life.
Human nature, our sinful nature can be so blinding.
I get so blinded. I feel justified to feel the way I do.
I have no right.Trials in life will come.
Sometimes the small seem big but compared to other’s trials and eternity..they are nothing!Trials grow us. They are supposed to make us more dependent upon God.
They are for us as silly as it seems. To make us stronger. To give us experience and wisdom.
My husband has been busy the past few weeks. Very busy. Owning a business can be tough.
Instead of being grateful my husband has a job.
Instead of being thankful for a husband who works so hard and doesn’t expect me to help out financially.
Instead of knowing he would rather be here than gone.
Instead of understanding how much was on his plate, the responsibilities he was fulfilling.
Instead of appreciating him…I let it get to me in a negative way.
I was looking at what others were doing. Husbands that were home. Families eating dinner together.
Jealous of people with big storage sheds and no construction paraphernalia hanging around their yards!
I was looking right in front of me instead of farther down the road.
I wasn’t being patient or compassionate.
I wan’t looking long term and I certainly wasn’t looking towards my Savior.
I was looking at myself. what I wanted. what I “needed”.I was everything a wife shouldn’t be to her husband.
and after staying up in his office drawing blueprints for twelve hours Saturday and then staying awake, not coming to bed, finishing his sermon for Sunday morning on Sunday morning….he felt it too.
He preached a good message on the Holy Spirit.
It convicted me. I needed to hear it, he said he needed it too.
God gives us what we need if we take time to listen.Sunday afternoon on an hour of sleep he said “That’s it!”
He put us in the car and drove. We went canoeing and fishing.
and we made s’mores in our fire pit that night. and it was perfect to be together.
I missed him. a lot.
Life isn’t always going to be peachy. Expect it!
We can’t always be ready for what’s going to come next.
Sunday night the people of Oklahoma had no idea what their next day entailed.We can choose to make the best of our situation.
Happiness isn’t always easy…and sometimes it’s near impossible!
Being thankful helps.
If you’re in the midst of your very own self inflicted pity party,
take time to notice all the good that surrounds you.Thank God for your situation and you will feel a change in your heart.
A peace that truly passes any understanding our minds could ever understand on our own.Happy Wednesday to you.
XxOo
Comments (17)
“such an easy event to pull together.” so true.
seriously. and here i believed that everyone but me got the normal that i signed up for. jk.
that one little thought has claws that dig in. and i would know.
but nothing crashes those kind of parties…
like… Jesus.
thanks lots. cool post on this hot wednesday.
I like this so much. I saw a pin on pinterest the other day that said I wish she’d have made her pity party an event on Facebook so we could decide whether or not we wanted to attend.
ha.
Let thankfulness rule this day. Great perspective.
Wow! I can so relate! The working is one thing, then the serving is another. (I didn’t know Jeff was a pastor, btw.) I struggle when Leon is extra busy w/ work, then you throw in a bunch of youth pastor responsibilities and I’m grumpy because WE have to give so much….selfish me! Yesterday I put his shoes away AGAIN and felt like telling him all about his bad habit, but then I was smitten w/ guilt. He is such a GOOD man, I am so grateful that I can put away his shoes, because that means I have him here in my house. It’s so much better for me to camp out on Grateful Blvd. than Grumpy Lane!!!
This is so good!! This line I can definitely relate to: “Jealous of people with big storage sheds and no construction paraphernalia hanging around their yards!
” because yep, that’s us too!! 
My husband has had a lot of stress at work lately and it’s been hard to know how to balance it all out… Wow. I can so relate to this post! I love your realness, and yet your challenge and reminder that God HAS given us everything we need, if we take the time to let Him give it.
“Life isn’t always happy… but gratefulness helps.” So true!!
Love you!
xoxo
Thank you for this post. I needed it today!!! Everything went wrong today and I created an event just like you described.
=)
What a beautiful day to be out fishing and boating!! I am also a guilty one. Thanks for the lesson.
Looks like a boatload of fun
Beautiful.
This is so good. I can relate more than I wish I could. But you have some really wise words here. Isn’t it great to look back and see things in the right perspective after they’ve been all muddled in your mind? Thanks for writing!!
p.s. You have the most beautiful kids.
I know JUST how you felt…..my jeff works crazy hours too. so glad sunday was a good day for you all!
And here is some cheers to having one’s own business!
Great post and wise about Oklahoma’s tragedy.
I live near Moore, but far enough away (apparently) that we had sun and no rain at our house, while that deadly funnel took down houses and families a few miles away.
I could see the ominous black cloud from my house, as I stood in the dry driveway with sun shining on me.
It came from no where very, very quickly. There was no time to say, “Wait! I was wrong. I DO love you. I love you with all my heart.”
Great post, and so easy to fall into the self pity trap. It is interesting how thankfulness deters self pity. You have a great day.
What a good reminder for me! Good thoughts!
SO, so needed to hear this. I’m was beginning to wallow in selfishness this evening and needed some waking up and encouragement. God showed me I needed an attitude change. Choosing joy and thankfulness is hard but so important.
Thank you so much!
Abigail (aka Abbalayne on instagram
I love it when you preach it…you know we all need to hear it. I admit that we are going through the toughest time right now, but i badly need to keep focused on God, and on finding joy every day. Had a couple of those pity parties this week, and they leave a sour taste in your mouth. Some laughter, smelling some flowers, loving one another, and praising God brings the sweetness of life back.
You know how I often tag along a while later and read your posts . . . And how glad I am to have found/read this one. You were preaching this one for me, I just know it.
Thanks for the sharing your heart and wise words.