Internet Cafe

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Making the Best of a Sticky Situation


Please welcome Guest Barista, Amy Stavnes to the Internet Cafe!



It happened around 12 o'clock today...my moment of grumbling. Prior to that I was nursing the baby and my oldest children said they were hungry. Seeing that it was going to be awhile before they got to eat, my seven year old daughter offered to make lunch. I agreed and she happily skipped off to prepare a gourmet lunch of peanut butter and jelly roll-up tortillas.




As they sat down and began eating I heard silly jokes and contagious laughter, my baby girl became curious and quickly finished eating. She and I went to the kitchen to check on the two happy diners. It was then that my moment of grumbling arrived, as I walked by the kitchen table I felt it on my bare feet.

I not only felt it, I was stuck to the floor!


It didn't take long to realize that I was standing in a glob of grape jelly. I placed the baby in her walker and grumbled to myself as I left a trail of sticky foot prints all over the floor. Grabbing a wet rag I began to clean the floors and my sticky feet all the while growing increasingly agitated.


It was in that moment that I stepped back and took a look around...what did I have to be grumbling about?

I am blessed to have three beautiful healthy children...one of whom just made her and her brother lunch while I tended to the baby. So, what if I had to clean a little mess up off the floor...at least my children had food to eat and we have a house with a floor to clean. In that moment I stopped and said a prayer, for forgiveness from my grumbling and a BIG prayer of thanks to God for all of the beautiful blessings in my life, especially grape jelly on the floor.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.


It is HIS will for us to give thanks in all circumstances….so whether it is that we have sticky grape jelly on the floor, up all night with a child having nightmares, late to work because of the pokey driver in front of us…we are to give thanks.

Thanks for having a home with floors that get sticky, thanks for the blessing of a child that finds comfort in your embrace during a night of bad dreams, thanks for having a car to drive to the blessing of your job…whatever the situation, look for the praise and find thanks for God in all situations.


Colossians 2:6-7
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.





Amy is a Southern girl (okay woman) who loves the Lord. She is married to the man of her dreams . Together they have been blessed with three amazing children. God has just blessed them by placing a child in their hearts and they have begun a journey of adopting from Ethiopia. Their life is filled with family activities and a desire to raise our children as strong Christians. Visit Amy at Filled With Praise


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9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I loved reading this. I learn this lesson with each new day.

September 20, 2009 at 1:26 AM  
Blogger Celee said...

Why is it we can become so totally unglued at the slightest inconvenience? I can relate to this. I love James 3 where it talks about how the same mouth shouldn't speak forth praise to God and bitterness. I find myself doing that and it's so frustrating! One minute I'm reading God's Word with my kids and the next minute I'm short-tempered over some small thing. Thanks for sharing your story and the fact that we're not alone!

September 20, 2009 at 7:29 AM  
Blogger Denise said...

This was awesome, bless you.

September 20, 2009 at 8:39 AM  
Blogger Theresa Miller said...

Yes, I can relate! Too many times, I miss the mark but, I am so grateful for the times I pay attention to the Holy Spirit who whispers, "Why not," when my mouth begins to form the word, "no;" and like you shared, when he offers me a new perspective when I feel like I'm coming unglued! I can't do this job without him and he alone deserves all of my praise. Thanks so much for sharing. It was fun to see you over here!

September 20, 2009 at 11:13 AM  
Blogger Kristin said...

Thank you for this reminder, Amy! It is so true!

September 20, 2009 at 1:09 PM  
Blogger Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

What amazing blessings you have... especially grape jelly! I love that!!

September 20, 2009 at 1:31 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Wonderful word....good lesson

September 20, 2009 at 3:00 PM  
Anonymous alisa said...

I'm having one of those days myself. I have a 5 year old, 2 year old and a 6 month old, and I have so much to be thankful for, though I seem to forget it when I'm cleaning up constant messes.

I'm potty training my 2 year old (he's almost 3), so my fuse of late has been short. I just have to keep remembering that God gives grace to women with small children. I don't think I could go another day without His grace!

Thanks for shairing your story; it gives me a better perspective on my day-to-day life.

September 21, 2009 at 1:28 PM  
Anonymous Marie said...

Although my children are almost grown, I too struggle with not being appreciative of the gifts I have been given. Why is it that the littlest things dismay us? Thank you for reminding me of how blessed I am.

www.InspiringChristianStories.com

September 23, 2009 at 4:05 PM  

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