Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. Philippians 2:14-15 (NIV)
My guest today is Rebecca Waters. I know you will be blessed!
Guest Devotional
Winter. January’s snow and ice held our fascination for the first week or so. We had moved to Ohio a few months earlier. But the pristine “glistening like diamonds” effect of the white stuff soon gave way to the slush of well traveled streets and a cold, wet climate that would cling to you like the muddy fingers of the green weeds we used to find in our Florida lake. It was too cold and damp for our children to play outside.
To say our temporary living quarters were cramped would be an understatement. We were living in a small mobile home while my husband finished his graduate work. Actually, mobile home makes it sound pretty nice. It was a tiny trailer that would have fit in our Florida kitchen and living room with room to spare.
A small space with two small children. And it was cold outside. I did not have a car. That’s okay, I had no place to go and I was fearful about driving in the ice and snow anyway. I entertained my five-year-old and one-year-old with books and crafts.
Lots of books.
Lots of crafts.
Over and over every day.
Am I painting the picture strongly enough? I was starting to get cabin fever. I did my fair share of grumbling and complaining.
Fortunately, I had found a friend in the woman next door. She and I shared ideas for toddlers (her son was two), recipes, cookies, and the Bible. Ours was not a methodical study of the scripture. We would talk about what we were reading and learning about God over a cup of tea.
It was during one of these talks I came to a startling realization. We were talking about Noah and the flood. Now that was some bad weather! I had heard and read the story many times as a child. But on this day I saw something new. Mrs. Noah.
When my husband came home from the university that evening it was to a clean house, a warm meal and a hand made poster taped to the kitchen cabinet. It read, “When you think you have cabin fever, remember Noah’s wife: All those people and animals and one little window.” With my daughter’s crayons I had made a crude drawing of the ark floating on the water with rain coming down. At the bottom I had written, “Without grumbling or complaining.”
I had agreed to living in that trailer while Tom was in graduate school. But it caused Tom pain and frustration when I grumbled. As a couple we often must make sacrifices to do what is best for our family. A sacrifice is a gift. But I learned through that experience that if I complain, I am taking away the gift I had freely given. Now, whenever I start to feel sorry for myself, or if I think things aren’t as I would like them, I try to remember Noah’s wife and that one little window.
Prayer: I want to praise You, Father for giving me what I need. Please help me to be grateful and to not grumble or complain. Please help me to be a source of love in our home, not a source of pain and frustration.
About the Author:
Rebecca Waters left her position as a professor of teacher education in December 2012 to actively pursue her writing career. She shares her writing journey in her weekly blog, A Novel Creation found at http://rebeccaawaters.blogspot.com/. Rebecca’s debut novel, Breathing on Her Own, was released on March 24, 2014 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. It is available on Amazon.com in both print and Kindle versions and is also available through Barnes & Noble.
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1941103154/
Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breathing-on-her-own-rebecca-waters/1118968997
17 Comments
Mrs. Noah…I LOVE that thought. Thank you for the smile 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Nan! I love this devotional.
Thank you, Nan! Just glad the sun is shining today! Have a blessed new year.
It’s always good to be able to apply the bible lessons to our life. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thanks for visiting! This devotional had some excellent applications! I hope you’ll be back again!
So true. I appreciate the read. Thanks, Kathie!
This is such a powerful statement right here, “if I complain, I am taking away the gift I had freely given”. I pray that I run my home with a spirit of thanksgiving, praise and free of grumbling and complaining too. Thank you for sharing Rebecca. I enjoyed this. 🙂
Thanks for sharing! It is a powerful message!
I am thrilled this spoke to you. Thank you for the comment..it is encouraging to me.
Lovely. We are so blessed in America. Most have electricity, running water and food when so many in the world suffer. This is a good reminder for us all.
It was certainly a timely reminder for me! Thanks for letting us know!
This reminds me that even my less is so much more than what most people have. I recently lost my husband. Yet, our 43 years of marriage is more than what many have. I must not complain to God that our time together was too short…it was a gift of great magnitude.
You have a story and it must be told.
What a great devotion!! I will have to remember Mrs. Noah 🙂
I love the reference to Mrs. Noah! Thanks for stopping by!
What a great reminder to always look for the best in every situation. Thanks for helping me to better understand this scripture. I will try to remember not to complain and always be thankful that I am not Mrs. Noah.
She’s a good example!