Little Prayers of Gratitude

Our oldest absolutely adores the new addition to our family.
The boys love her too. We say little prayers of gratitude for
all of them every day.

Catie was pregnant with our fourth child. This would be the fourth child in 6 years (all planned and loved, but a handful none-the-less). This pregnancy has been harder than the other three. The sickness lasting longer, sleep eluding her more frequently towards the end and energy almost nonexistent at times.

All of this was taking a toll physically and mentally. Her apprehension growing as the due date drew nearer. She dreaded the pain she knew was coming, and even began questioning whether she was prepared to go through it all and the sleepless nights that would follow.

This buildup of stress, tension and worry not only affected Catie, but how she treated others. Her relationships with the kids were strained and not as full as normal. She was irritated quickly; no patience for young energetic boys prone to be loud and slightly destructive.

Two weeks before our little girl came into our family, Catie bravely faced the situation and decided she needed to change. She prayed for help, for something she could do to gain control and find happiness in the new life that would be joining our family. As is often the case, God answered her prayer through small and simple means.

Catie read a blog post by a woman that gave little prayers of gratitude throughout the day, which helped her see the blessings more easily. This helped the woman stay positive and happier. So Catie decided to give it a try. She would offer her normal prayers, but added little prayers of gratitude throughout the day. She noticed the sunshine and thanked God for it. She watched our kids laugh with each other, and offered a prayer of thanks. She quietly thanked God for the kind words of a friend.

What she realized after a few weeks was that her capacity to deal with her struggles was enlarged. She felt loved. She felt stronger because she was recognizing all the times God was helping her. Catie was feeling happiness because she was taking the time to see and acknowledge the joy already in her life. Now that our baby is born, Catie continues to say little prayers of gratitude, even for a three hour stretch of sleep during the night.

I recently read a very good book by Jeff Goins called The In-Betweens. He chronicles some of the experiences in his life that taught him this important principle. He encourages the reader to slow down, live in the moment and enjoy what God has already done in your life. Instead of waiting to be happy when you get to the next big thing, he suggests you embrace life as it’s happening. Often this means slowing down, and enjoying the people around you. Waiting isn’t a bad thing. Maybe it’s in those times when you must wait, that you should offer up a little prayer of gratitude.

Next week: Importance of Family Traditions

I don’t receive any compensation for this mention of Jeff’s book. I did get to meet him once in Tennessee and have enjoyed his blog. It’s an insightful book and worth your time and money if you are intrigued by what I have shared. He is a very good writer.

Practicing Patience

The key to patience is perspective. As we look beyond
our immediate circumstance, we may see that
the clouds are about to part and bring sunshine.

The story of Abraham is the ultimate story of patience. He truly spent his life waiting for the one thing he desired most: children. Abraham was a great man. Having children was a big deal in their culture and especially to a man of God like Abraham. (Our society doesn’t place the same emphasis on having children, especially for women, but I digress.) When they take the time to record that his wife was barren, you have to believe it was a big blow for Abraham and his wife, especially for such a detail to last in the records for thousands of years.

Then we read in Genesis chapter 11 that Abram (this is before the name change), who was now 75 years old, was promised that God would make out of him a great nation. And God would make Abram’s name great.

It seems to me that Abraham would understand this to mean he would be given children. You can’t have a great nation of two. And to make your name great – in a day without celebrities, social media or newspapers – meant having at least some children to carry on that name as they changed the world around them.

Then after Abraham travels to Canaan, he again is told more directly that this land would be given to his posterity. They weren’t immediately given children though. They had to go to Egypt for a few years to escape a famine in the land and then when they got back, Sarah was still barren. Abraham still didn’t lose faith, and the Lord continued to give him assurances that he would have children.  

After many more years and a son name Ishmael through Hagar, the Lord again comes to Abraham and tells him he would have posterity through Sarah. Abraham marveled (when it says he laughed in his heart, I think that means he was happy. I don’t think a man like Abraham would have laughed at God) at this since he was 100 years old and Sarah was 90.

Finally the great day came, and Abraham was given a son. Waiting on the Lord to give them a son for 100 years would surely have been trial enough, but then he was commanded to kill him. We know how it turns out, but all those years of trusting in the Lord made it possible for Abraham to endure this greatest trial.

Paul explained it well to the Hebrews.

 “That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

 “For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,

 “Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

 “And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” (Hebrews 6:12-15)

Paul was trying to teach the people that life will be hard but pushing on in faith and patience is how we get the prize. Patience isn’t idleness. Abraham didn’t sit in a hammock just waiting for the Lord to give him kids. He was continually showing the Lord he was willing to follow Him. Paul was teaching the Hebrews that they needed to be doing good while they waited upon the Lord.

That’s a phrase that’s kind of hard to swallow: waiting upon the Lord. Isaiah used it when he talked about perseverance. (There are other references, but this one communicates the point.)

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) 

So what does all this have to do with family?

From a parent’s perspective, a lot! I struggle with patience sometimes. I have high expectations for my kids and I want them to be good, even at a young age. So even writing this blog post was difficult since I am constantly falling short on this virtue.

I think the best way to practice patience, and therefore get better at it, is to take a second to put things in perspective. I think Abraham had many nights when he prayed to God, asking about the family he was promised. Abraham didn’t become consumed by his grief because he had perspective. He knew that God could do great things. He also knew that God does things in His own time.

So when you are frustrated or angry that things aren’t turning out like you expected, take a minute to put it into perspective. If you are eagerly keeping the Lord’s commandments, He will bless you in His time and according to his will.

Next week: Gratitude