Complaining

I had every intention of posting one of my Scripture Sharing Sunday family devotionals this weekend. I even knew the topic and scripture I wanted to cover. I wanted to address the issue of complaining in our children and use the verse Philippians 2:14, "Do all things without grumbling or arguing."

But, instead I spent all Sunday afternoon complaining about my children tracking dirt onto my clean kitchen floor!

Oh yes, that white floor I wrote about here was sparkling when we got home from church, but it was a beautiful day here after a very rainy day yesterday. The children played outside a bunch while their daddy worked in the yard and I tried to tackle some inside chores. For some reason when my children play outside, their play entails a lot of coming back inside. One child needed to go potty, another child needed a drink, one wanted a cracker, another a baggie to collect leaves, someone needed to wash the mud off their legs, a child needed to come tattle on their sibling, a sibling needed to defend himself.

You get the picture, right?

My kids are pretty good about taking off their shoes when they come inside and are done playing outside but not so much when they just popped in for a minute.

As the muddy footprints began, so did my complaining, "Take your shoes off!" "Look at what you just tracked in!" "What are you doing?" "Look at the floor!" "Get the hand vacuum!" "Why are you coming in again?!" "Stop! Don't take another step!" "Look at your feet, do you see how muddy they are?" "Do you want to sweep and mop the entire kitchen?"

On and on it went. Finally, I'd had enough and walked out the backdoor and told my children in a not very nice voice that if they needed to come inside for any reason that they must knock on the door instead of coming in.

I had no sooner closed the door than the knocking began!

At the very moment I got annoyed with all the knocking, it hit me.

I was doing the very thing I intended to teach my children not to do!

So, there was no Scripture Sharing Sunday this week. Instead I am going spend the week trying to control my own complaining and grumbling and then maybe next Sunday I can teach my children that they should not complain!

In the mean time you should all go check out this post from Into Still Waters about complaining. It is awesome!

I know I want a home where the environment is joyful & cheerful, which is why I wanted to address some of the complaining I've heard recently from my children, and I don't want them to grow up to be people that other people can't stand to be around. Let's face it, that is how we feel about people that are always complaining! But clearly the attitude change is going to have to begin with me!

Find more tips for Making your Home Sing at Mom's the Word and tips on Making Your Home a Haven at Tammy's Recipes.