Living Intentionally: Whining

I think the concept of living intentionally is a bit counterintuitive. Although many of us grasp the big picture, sometimes we're a bit foggy on how best to go about living on purpose rather than just having life happen to us.

The counterintuitive principles of living intentionally include:

Fake it
Scrap your priorities
Stay behind
Break a hip
Whine
Be confused
Disappoint someone
Spend it all today

In prior issues of For Every Woman, we addressed the first four counterintuitive principles. Today's topic is whining. When is the last time you thought:

This weather is crummy.
The traffic is ridiculous.
The kids don't call.
My sister is clueless.

Whining

Whining. That's what I was doing not long ago. I spent precious moments complaining about the most minute things. When I caught myself, I felt ashamed. What was going on that was really that bad? Summer heat on a November day?

At the time, my daughter Shauna was pregnant with our first grandbaby, and was due to deliver January 11. On Thanksgiving Day, she went into premature labor. She spent two weeks in the hospital, pumped full of drugs and on bed rest. We were on pins and needles as she tried to keep her baby in the womb a few more weeks.

When Shauna did go into labor on December 7, her emergency C-section and the baby's resuscitation was nothing short of pure drama. As we prayed through the night for Shauna's recovery and the health of our sweet granddaughter, Ava, I realized I had not a complaint in the world. I had something new to refocus my attention.

Maybe you think your parents are driving you nuts. Your job might be the pits. Your husband may not be as romantic as you'd like him to be. But really, is life all that bad?

I think to live life intentionally, we must have a good whine every now and then. Complain (to yourself, please) for no less than 60 minutes, once a month, about the lousy hand you've been dealt or the unfairness of it all. Get it out. Rant and rave. Wave your hands. Stomp your feet. And then I want you to drop it. Or else you might get challenges much bigger than a bad hair day to distract you from your personal pity party.

Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad--for these trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world (1 Peter 4:12,13, NIV).

As I sit here now with baby Ava in my arms, I have no complaints. Just pure gratitude for the gift of life, sweet family and friends, and second chances to take in the miracle of life.

Theme Products (Order from www.women.ag.org)

The Intentional Woman poster. Item #735481.

I Mean It! tract. Item #735487 (English); Item #735488 (Spanish).