Thursday, August 1, 2013

Whatever happened to being Grateful?

What the crap was wrong with this swan?  Actual sign from a cave we visited last week.  At one point this park had BUFFALO but the SWAN got the beware sign... Does anyone else but me find this funny?




Just in case my last post made people think I was ungrateful- I wanted to clear up the misunderstanding.  I wasn't just complaining.  I was venting and hoping that someone will read and smile.  Everyone has those minor catastrophes that drag us down.  At the time it's serious but a couple weeks or years later it's something we will laugh about.  Murphy moves in with everybody from time to time...As Dr. Seuss said, "Bang ups and hang ups can happen to you..."

I'm trying to look on the bright side when things do bang up and hang up.  I'm making an effort to be grateful.

I remember as a teenager watching the channel 9 news from back home and two weeks prior the had been moaning about the drought.  We needed rain, we were in a drought, we needed rain...

Well someone prayed for rain and several weeks later this particular town had all the rain it could stand.

And it was grumble, grumble, grumble... too much rain.

Three weeks ago we didn't have enough and now too much.

The local amusement park had to be shut down and the newscasters were talking with the namesake, a country music legend.  I suppose you can guess whom I'm speaking about.

"So what do you think about all this rain?"  The newscaster asked the country singer.

She looked straight into the camera grinned said something like:  "Well you know, we b***h if the sun shines and we b***h if it rains."  In her too cute Tennessee accent.

The newscaster almost choked.  You can't say something like that on live TV!  Someone told the country singer as well because she giggled impishly and they took her off the screen right away...

But you know... I've been thinking... she may have been uncouth but she was right.

We complain if it shines and we complain if it rains.

I turned on the TV yesterday to the channel with all the weather... I can't remember what it's called... Three weather people were complaining.

"We've had so much rain that I think we're in Seattle, not ATL."

"We haven't had a summer to speak of because of the rain."

"There has been only 16 days this summer that we've had no rain."

And I'm like... Well thank God!  You remember, Mr. Weatherman, that lake in ATL that just about dried up?  You remember several years ago when we had fires in the swamps we couldn't put out?  I do.  I just about died of Pneumonia due to smoke exposure! If I have the choice of fire and rain - I'll take rain.

So my car is a chia pet... so what?

So we had a breakdown... what will that affect in 5 years?

The tub leaked... big deal?

The little disappointments are a part of life.  It seems we can handle the big stuff better than the little things sometimes and that amazes me.

When I found out I had a tumor and I'd lose my lung it didn't get me down.  I mean, I cried when I found out and had all those feelings that people get when they find out they're sick.  But when they told me I was going to be okay...  I went into it like a champ!

No... it was the trip to Alabama where David licked the guard rail at Ruby Falls (and consequently got strep throat) and the van broke down on the interstate and I drove Momma's truck with the emergency brake on and it caught fire... that was my undoing.   I completely broke down in Whitaker's Pharmacy and Mrs. Opal followed me home (I only live 2 blocks away) because she was afraid to let me go alone.

Isn't it ironic that we get bent out of shape over such small things.  Maybe I'm just talking to myself here...

It's hard for me to be an optimist.  It goes against my wiring.  I'm wired up as a pessimist though I prefer to call it "realism".  I'm pretty sure God wants me to look on the bright side of things.  I'm pretty sure he gets tired of me complaining.  To prove his point he sent me a cute little girl who has my disposition.

Me: "Put your socks on Soliel."
Sol:  "I cant!  They have heels in them!"  She starts crying loudly.  "WHY OH WHY DO YOU BUY SOCKS WITH HEELS IN THEM???  OH THIS IS TERRIBLE!  I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL! I'M GOING TO DIE HERE BEFORE I GET THESE SOCKS ON!!!"

I'm ready to smack her head off because I've asked her FIFTEEN times to put her socks on before now. I could cuss and God says... "You know... you do the same thing to me."

"What if I lose my job?  We don't have enough money for these repair bills!   Wahhhh!  The roof is leaking now? What did I do to deserve this???  What's wrong with you God?  We tithe!  Soingso over there doesn't tithe and they have a boat in their front yard!  WAAAHHHH!"

AAARRRGGGHHHH!  I do!   I do it all the stinkin' time...And He doesn't smack my head off.  I probably deserve it too.

Trying to be GRATEFUL for a little while.  I might live longer.  If you hear me complaining... just smack me upside the head okay?






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