Spring Cleaning

I have become the whiner of all whiners.  It's pretty pathetic, actually.  When I think about it, I realize that while I don't typically verbalize my "complaints" to the two tykes and the princess, they definately pick up on my attitude.  That's not really the example I want to set for this beautiful, joy filled girl and her two precious brothers.

Kevin recently printed out a Chuck Swindoll piece about attitude and how much more important it is than anything else.  He talked about how the attitude with which you approach the events of your life are far more important than the events themselves.  WOW.  Think about that application in your life - all of the small frustrations that boil into having a "bad day" could be approached with a new attitude.  The cliche - an attitude of gratitude could impact everything we do and everything that happens to us to turn bad days to good!  If my order at the drive thru window is messed up, and I forget to grab the loaf of bread off of the check out stand at the grocery store and I spill ketchup on my favorite white pants and my kids are fighting in the back of the car...I've had a "bad day".  But, if through all of that, my attitude can reflect that I am grateful to have food to eat, pants to wear and 3 children to teach through the mayhem, maybe I can give the drive thru clerk a little more grace, myself a break for forgetting the bread, and my children some mercy instead of blowing my top.

That's all easier said than done, as each of us know.  In times like these, when the world seems to be spinning a little bit faster than we have the ability to keep up, maybe an attitude change can make the days a little bit easier.  Maybe I can be easier on myself, and cut myself a little bit of slack...and cut the two tykes and the princess some slack as well.

It's spring - time for spring cleaning.  And while the closets and the garage and the cabinets need to be cleaned, my attitude needs a clean up too.  My "house" needs to be cleaned of the tension and the frustration that comes from wearing the exhaustion and every bump and bruise openly on my sleeve.  It's time for real spring cleaning.  And it starts with me.