Something to complain reflect on

Friday night almost mid night, I can hear my dryer going (when isn't it going at night? ha!) I'm enjoying my huge cup of hot tea (just like I used to drink it in Chile) and the privacy and freedom of this evening. Nicolas is asleep, Matt is out with friends (don't worry tomorrow is my turn) and I am here, glue to my laptop reading all the blogs I follow and they are all so inspiring but out of all the things that I have in mind right now (You wouldn't believe how many different topics are in storage ... let's see ... interesting conversation with my toddler, daddy having an ear ache that lasted longer than expected, cleaning my pantry for the first time since I've been married, well and more ...) there's one that seems to be a repetitive one as I went through my week. Not only I am at fault on this but a lot of those - strangers and not strangers - that I have come in contact this week.

I'm talking about COMPLAINING!

How often do we do it? Why do we do it? Do we get anywhere with it? (this is a tricky one because if you complain to your cell company may be you could get a deal ... I don't know, I'm just guessing!) ... back on topic ... think about how many times you've complain this week, or not even that long the past 2 days. CRAZY ins't it?

Here are some of the examples I've experienced this week:

I complaint after I offer to do a shower for a friend because things were not turning out as I had plan them in my head (emphasize I ... who's the shower for??? that's right, my friend ... not me ... God spoke to me big time on this one).

I complaint to the girl at the bank when she asked the teller next to her if they were allowed to give me cash back, before I could even think words came out of my mind "Why wouldn't you, we have an account here!!!" (worse part? I had just heard a sermon on ANGER before I left work to go to the bank ... OUCH!)

Many customers I've talked to this week had complaint about the rain - we at the office have done it too - but for the last two years we've been complaining about the drout.

As I was waiting in a very small line (two people in front of me, one behind me) at the Wal-Mart pharmacy the lady behind me asks me "That looks like more than 5 items to me, don't you think???" pointing at an old couple who decided to bring their few items to the pharmacy as they pay for their prescription too (I still believe they have 5 items or less) but who cares??? The lady at the pharmacy could of let them bring more than 5 items, they were older, the man needed assistance to walk ... there was only 2 people in front of me - I promise you - it didn't take long ... so I didn't say anything else than "I really don't think they have more than 5 items" I wanted to say much more but I decided if I wasn't going to be nice I shouldn't open my mouth anymore ...

The secretary of the church where my son goes to preschool complaint to the Director of it that the teachers were showing too much cleavage (I bet she doesn't shop at Wal-Mart, she could have a heart attack by seeing some of the "things" you see people exposing there ... ha ha ha).

We complaint we have too much work, we complaint when work it's slow.

Jon & Kate complaint about the media following them, I'm sure they complaint when no one knew them and they didn't know how to pay their bills (sorry I do have People Magazine next to my laptop).

See where I'm going???

This is like an epidemic, it's contagious, we are in constant complain,
why do we do it????

What good does it do to our hearts????

Is it worth it????

I believe is part of our natural ways, it comes out before we can think about it, but we can make a difference by seeing the other side of things too. Much easier said than done but you know, life is what it is, God has a perfect plan for us and we are not going to like what HE has in store for us 24/7. Just like my mom used to tell me growing up "Things are not always going to happen the way YOU want them to happen" I'm sure she knew a lot about that (when she found out not only that she was pregnant but that my dad "forgot" to tell her he was married and already had 2 daughters of his own!).

Let's face it, perfection doesn't exist, life is not perfect, is unfair and it's ugly sometimes but there are also so many things that are wonderful about it.

Like this moment of tranquility at my house, like my son running to me when I pick him up from daycare all excited yelling "maaaaaaaaaaami, maaaaaaaami", like the time I could see in Matt's eyes that he was no longer in pain, like the play date I'm going to have tomorrow with 4 wonderful friends (2 of them I don't get to spend time with because they live out of town and I got the privilege to know them when I was an exchange student here back in 1994), you name it, there is plenty.

Yes there is!

Like the moment I clean my pantry and I realized I really don't need to go to the grocery store again because I have more than plenty in there ... see!!! We got so many things to be thankful for, I know there are terrible situations out there, I know people are aching, suffering, hurting, I know that but I also know there are good things in this life that we should recognize and value because we have no promises about what tomorrow it's going to bring, we could be really struggling then!

I do know one thing, if I don't go to bed right now I'll be complaining in the morning "why didn't I go to bed earlier" :)