The opportunity of a lifetime has presented itself to you: Serving in a Japanese orphanage helping to care for the little ones as they await adoption.
A delightful mix of cherubic faces, chubby fingers, and adorable coos laid over a foundation of love and sprinkled with the sweet scent of baby powder.
What an amazing way to spend a year, you think to yourself, as you happily hum your favorite songs.
How truly blessed you feel, fresh out of high school, to have stepped forward and been chosen to fill this need.
Well, until you find yourself elbow deep in dirty cloth diapers for eleven babies.
Yes. Cloth diapers. Eleven babies.
An endless pile of diapers you have to rinse, wash by hand, hang to dry, fold and barely have time to put away before pulling them out to repeat the process again.
And taking care of this responsibility between feeding, burping, rocking, comforting, and playing: a weighty responsibility that changes your tune from giddy to grumpy faster than you can sing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
Can anyone fault you for your sour attitude?
Well. . .
**********
A friend of mine recently relayed this autobiographical glimpse as we talked of finding joy and contentment where you are.
She was so grateful for being called out for her grouchy and thankless disposition, for she received a simple suggestion that has stayed with her over the years: the key to being able to succeed in serving God was to have a heart full of gratitude and to pray to him for a song for the day.
How often do you move through your waking hours, smack dab in the midst of the answers to your prayers—marriage, children, a job—only to find yourself unappreciative and very possibly disagreeable?
In my friend’s case, she had chosen gladly to follow the nudge to serve overseas. While most of you will not go this route, you still serve every single day in all sorts of ways, especially with your family.
As Mother Theresa said:
Prayer in action is love, and love in action is service. Try to give unconditionally whatever a person needs in the moment. The point is to do something, however small, and show you care through your actions by giving your time … We are all God’s children so it is important to share His gifts. Do not worry about why problems exist in the world – just respond to people’s needs … We feel what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean, but that ocean would be less without that drop.
I encourage you to pray today, to start up a conversation with God even if you never have before. He can’t wait to hear from you, to help heal your heart, soothe your worried mind, support and encourage you, to share a song for your journey. (Like this? Click here to tweet. Thanks!)
If you have never prayed, you can start here: Praying in the midst of a storm. If you are having difficulty finding reasons to be grateful, I encourage you to sign up for my updates and download my free ebook: Practicing Gratitude and Discovering Joy-30 Days to a Happier You!
Question: What song have you chosen to sing today?
. . . be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. ~Ephesians 5:18-19
Sharing at NOBH, Finding Heaven, PYHO
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Twitter: AuntieEmsGuide
says:
Love it, Kim!
Auntie Em recently posted…Complete, Don’t Compete
As always, I love your joyful heart.
Shell recently posted…Being a Mom Stereotype
love this. too often i only have to look to my kids to see what song i’ve been singing on any particular day. humbling, to say the least
hmmm. now you have me contemplating what song i shall start my day off with today.
blessings to you, my friend! thanks for your encouragement. always.
steph
HopeUnbroken recently posted…Day 23: On Giving Up Discouragement
Oh, how they echo our behaviors back to us, don’t they, Steph! Glad to have given you food for thought.
Thanks so much for adding your sweet notes to the conversation.
I agree, one should sing everyday…
Wayne recently posted…Pour Your Heart Out – Servicape & Charleston
Absolutely, Wayne. And you have such a lovely part of the country from which to do so! Thanks for stopping by.
What a beautiful reminder to be content where we are and yes, we so need to practice gratitude everyday…thru song, or prayer or a even saying, “Thank you Lord so much.”
Dionne recently posted…31 Days to Grace (Day 24): When you let go
Agreed, Dionne it is the practice that makes it ever easier to get to a grateful place. I appreciate you dropping by!
I had a job similar (way back in the day) to this friend of yours, Kim. I hated it at first, but then found it to be one of the best and most blessed jobs I ever had. It’s amazing what God can do when we yield our hearts desire to Him–to transform it into His. Great post, as always!
Oh, Beth, you made me laugh as I was convicted by your comment. I think of the times I have chafed at a situation, only to find later how wonderfully it shaped me. Yielding can be such a struggle, but leads to such peace. Thanks for sharing!
Twitter: fiercedivablog
says:
I am currently up to my elbows in “dirty cloth diapers, ” so to speak – but you know what? Last night, when I w as lying in bed with my 3 kids, I took a moment to have gratitude for how perfect that moment was. That was my happy song. I love this message from your friend and totally get it!
ilene recently posted…The Twenty-Five Minute Badass
Ilene, the mental picture that popped into my head as I read your comment made me laugh, as I saw us each looking at mountains of diapers everywhere in our lives. Like everything, though, when we add that tremendous perspective of gratitude, the landscape shifts dramatically. So glad you are finding islands of joy and gratitude in your life, friend, and prayers are with you. <3
I sing to and with my kids all the time. I used to be a singer in a band, so it’s just a part of who I am, but I love the connection I have with my kids when we are singing in synch, building our own harmonies.
Kiran
Time spent with your children is so precious, and how lovely you can sing together. Learning to love the lack of harmony and especially the times when all of us were singing different songs-to strike a metaphor-was difficult, but just as rewarding. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Kiran.
Hmmm. I need to do this. Gratitude and a song for each day. Sounds so simple. Let’s see if I can remember to do this
lori recently posted…Imperfect Prose: Love and Hate
It does sound simple, doesn’t it, Lori? I think sometimes that some of the more powerful changes we can make bloom from the tiny seeds we plant. Thanks for coming by!
Thanks for reminding me that not only thanking God can change our disposition, but also singing. I went to a worshipful concert last night performed by a group called gungor. It was amazing, cleansing time as we meditated and worshipped God in song.
That performance sounds wonderful, Kel! What an amazing evening it must have been. Isn’t it funny that we can forget the power of music? I appreciate you sharing your experience with us!