I am a Whiner.

The other day, I was listening to my kids and I couldn't help but think, 'Wow, I'm raising a pair of whiners.' Their talking was kinda like this, "Mom, can I have some candy? No? I want chocolate milk. What? We're out of chocolate syrup? But I don't like white milk. Can we go somewhere fun tonight? What about a movie night with popcorn? But mom, I just got home from school, you're supposed to be nice to me..." And on and on it went. Meanwhile I was cleaning the kitchen and making dinner. Wanna know what the voice in my head was saying (no, you don't)... 'Ugh, maybe I could get the kids to do some chores around here and help me keep this house clean. CHOCOLATE. I have high cholesterol (why me, God?) but I still need a daily fix of chocolate! I wish my hubby got home earlier to wait on the kids while I cook and clean in quiet. I don't want to take the kids to swimming lessons tonight, I'd rather take a bubble bath in TOTAL QUIET...' Get it? Yep, I've rubbed off on them. I AM A TOTAL WHINER. ;(

It dawned on me that, in the birth country of my future child, THIS is what they live like...

Shoeless - and yet look at those smiles!!

Traveling miles for water and carrying it on their backs - yet I can have bubbles in my hot bath whenever I want -- or at least after the kids are sleeping.

And three of us whining over a lack of chocolate when many people in Ethiopia live on one meal per day.

I just don't want to live like this. Don't get me wrong - I still intend to whine a bit (after all it's only natural, right?) but I am hoping to, in the next few weeks, limit the whining that is spoken in MY head and aloud in this house. I don't want to take for granted these gifts (chocolate, shoes, education, water, money) God has given my family, our community, this country. I want to spend less time complaining and whining and more time devoted to prayer for the least of these - or those with less than me.

I know my whole world is about to be shaken up when I get to go to Ethiopia twice in the (hopefully very near) near future. I can feel myself and my family being prepared in little bits for this - and I guess I'm starting with admitting that I am a whiner - working on whining less. ;)