Do all things without complaining.

I don't know how many times we have said the words "stop complaining!" to Jonas.  

Well to any of the kids actually, but Jonas seems to be our worst culprit.  Asking him to do anything usually ends up with a reply of "I'm tired." aka "I'm lazy."  Hopefully this whole blog doesn't come across as me complaining about my kids, oops. 

Andy and I consider ourselves to be hard workers, and I hope others do too so it's frustrating to have a child that doesn't understand the concepts of team work or being helpful.  If he is in the mood he can be the sweetest most helpful child but most of the time he's not.  As our kids get older, and I feel as we get more unprepared!  We have been trying to figure out different ways to get through to them that don't involve me shouting angrily and them ending up crying and not doing what I asked anyways.  I came across this idea on Pinterest, yes again, and really liked it.

[And darn you Pinterest, I feel like I will never again have an original thought. Sigh.]

I pretty much am in love with Mason jars & I don't even know how to can.  So far I've used them to make Vietnamese Veggies, hold homemade creamer, non-toxic cleaning solution concentrates, sort things, give mango salsa as gifts, wrap small baby shower presents, etc.  They're just so useful and awesome that I now buy them by the case.  

For this project it was pretty easy, we used the verse....

"Do everything without complaining or arguing." Philippians 2:14

The kids decorated their papers and I taped them inside the jars.  Then we put change into each jar, the concept is each time they complain or argue when they should be doing something with thankful hearts then they get a quarter [or dime, hey we're broke.] taken out of the jar.  Each Sunday they get to keep the money they have left in the jar and Monday starts us new, cause even God gives second, or third, or  fourth....chances right? 

I'm really hoping this is just another way we can teach our children to do things with thankfulness, gladness and helpfulness for others because of everything we have been given by God without any payment.  Anything we can do would never be enough.  Hopefully this does not make them think they should get paid anytime they do something without complaining but I can see that happening too.  

We'll just have to see how this one turns out!  

I hope to raise children that understand that everything they have is a blessing.  To be thankful for all that they have and know that all of that comes from God.  I've been around to many complaining adults to ever want my kids to be that way.  For someone to always have more, better, prettier, happier.  All of those things will probably always be true but I am not here in this life to compare the things I do with what others have.  I want my children to grow up with joy & gladness instead of complaining, bitterness and a woe is me attitude.  

So hopefully having the attitude I want them to have will help, complaining is natural but with it should also be an attempt to solve those complaints or wonder why those things are happening instead of constant blame on someone else.   That being said that me, like my kids, can always use practice in being grateful!  

I found a free app for iPhone [free is pretty much the only app I have!] called GratitudeDiary.

It's a simple app, you just type something in that you are grateful for each day.  And really, one thing shouldn't be that hard should it?  It will give you friendly reminders to be grateful and I definitely could be doing more time sucking things on my phone.  Also they've done studies that people who write down what they are grateful for each day have less depression.  So go ahead, be grateful!  It can't hurt.