Stop Complaining!

Disclaimer:  I know that I don't do this well.  And I know we aren't going to be perfect, but I don't think that means we should encourage a limited joy and a limited peace.  Grace.  

"Therefore, as Gods chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful." 
Colossians 3:12-15

Complaining.

about the rain, the heat
about sickness
about nothing being on TV
about our co-worker who eats Fritos all day
about the cubicle we are in
about whining children
about disobedient children
about just silly children
about our husbands job
about cheerios
about our homes
about traffic
about lines at Target resulting in tantrums at Target
about middle of the night cries and early mornings
.......on and on we complain.

And it has to stop.
I believe that women, and really, moms especially are complaining a lot.  I do it too.  I could add a gagillion things to that list; complained about His good gifts.  I think we complain, sometimes, because we want more respect.  Or maybe we want someone to take pity on all the diapers and feedings and sore backs and messy homes that drive. us. mad. and always explaining in 1 year old, 2 year old, 3 year old language and the constant conversations about trucks and trains and fairy princesses and NO, you are not finished eating!

and sand, copious amounts of sand in between toes, filling up shoes and covering floors

I get it.  I know.  Being home with your children is hard.  Sitting in a cubicle is hard.  Teaching 20 kids is hard.  Traveling all the time is hard.

But just because it is hard does not give you the right to throw it back up at God as a complaint!  He has given you this!  "And be thankful."
And believe me, I am typing this out, drumming this into my own thick head.

When I was studying these verses in Colossians, I was struck  with letting "the peace of Christ rule."  And in reading and re-reading this part I just kept thinking peace can RULE.  It has power over anger, frustration, pettiness, fear, chaos, shame and complaining.  Peace is strong, peace is ready to do battle and to win!  It is of Christ!  Who won every battle, who won THE WAR!
"Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Clothe yourselves with the strength of Christ!  Allow Christ into your weakness for pity parties and whining and a need for approval.  Allow Him to be strong in your life.

"And be thankful."
That is really the kicker.  Be thankful.  And when you are thankful, you open yourself up to being transfigured into more of His likeness, and less of this complaining world.  And we find joy.  Deep joy that isn't just about feeling happy and livin' easy.  Joy in those hard moments of always taking care and raising up.  Joy in sacrificial love. Joy in yet another diaper run, in soothing a cry, in disciplining at Target.  Something being hard doesn't mean there isn't joy in it.

So, don't limit joy and "the peace of Christ" to just some aha-moments in your day, or when you get to "high-five your husband when the kids are in bed for a job done."  (quote from this article circulating about) And lets encourage one another to find this joy rather than try to dress up a complaint with humor or wit.