
It’s hard to believe it’s been over six years since we started living a grateful life with The Grumble Free Year. We started August 2017 and that Thanksgiving Grandma broke her back. We went on the cruise August 2018, and (after writing about it all) The Grumble Free Year released November 2019.
One of the questions I’ve been asked the most is, “Have you kept going?” Yes! In fact, being interviewed about this book has helped to put this message at the forefront of my mind.
Today, I’m sharing ways to turn “less grumbling” into a lifestyle change.
Living a Grateful Life
Here are ways you can incorporate “grumble free” into daily living!
1. Read God’s Word and apply it. This includes capturing grumbling thoughts. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (NIV).
Paul, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, wrote this because he knew it was a problem then, just as it is now. We are human and our minds are made to look for problems to keep us safe. Yet, when we see problems (with ourselves, our kids, our work, our home) the grumbling starts.
The sooner I capture my thoughts, the better I do about controlling my tongue.
For example, when I notice one of the kids has just made a huge mess I do three things:
1. Pray and ask Jesus to help my thoughts be obedient to Him
2. Find a solution
3. Turn my mind to gratitude.
A solution would be to ask the child to clean up the mess. Gratitude can focus on God’s love, having a home, and having healthy kids. The more often we take our thoughts captive, the easier it becomes.
Also, when I do mess up and grumble, I’m learning to give myself grace. I’ve discovered when I give myself grace I’m more likely to extend grace to others.
2. Spend time with someone you love. When your “love tank” is full, love and gratitude can more easily pour out to others.
3. Plan an adventure. Just the planning can bring happiness and excitement!
4. Pray for a friend. When we pray for another person’s needs it reminds us how much we have to be grateful for.
5. Seek 5 minutes of peace. Each of us needs time to breathe and relax.
6. Spend time in nature. Enjoying God’s creation reminds us that we have a Creator who cares.
7. Thank your kids for a job well done. The best way to be grateful is just to be grateful. When I ask a child to do something, and they do, I thank him or her for it. When my husband pays the bills, I thank him for that.
8. Praise God for all His good gifts. Hebrews 13:15 says, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name” (NIV). I love that it’s called a “sacrifice” of praise. Sacrifice is a noun. According to Vocabulary.com, “A sacrifice is a loss or something you give up, usually for the sake of a better cause.” What do we lose when we praise? Time, attention on ourselves, ownership of our attitudes, and our grumbling. And when we give praise to God remember that He is worthy.
Living a Grateful Life
I love printables. They help me keep visual reminders of important or inspiring quotes or ideas in places that I can focus on during my day. That’s why I made you this PDF graphic! Click here to HERE to print.
How many can you do TODAY?
Here’s more inspiration–I recently chatted with Yvette Hampton about how to have a Grumble Free Homeschool … but the tips will work for ANY home! Listen HERE while you fold a load of laundry, wait in the carpool lane, or take the dog for a walk.
With a full heart,
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