Last month was Beth’s birthday and I really wanted to do something nice for her. I decided that since we hardly ever go out to eat, dinner at one of our local restaurants would be a great birthday present. We were both tired, so I hoped this would be just what we needed to encourage us. We sat down, ordered and waited for our food. We waited and waited and waited. Finally our food came but Beth’s greatly anticipated steak was not edible. Then many thoughts of ingratitude started flowing…. this area only has two restaurants… we waited 40 minutes with a 20 month old toddler… when we finally got our food it wasn’t cooked…. and we needed a rest but it wasn’t restful. My great birthday present was ruined.
Yes, these were my thoughts and it wasn’t until much later that I realized that if I would have just allowed God to change my attitude, I could have had a great time instead of letting my negative thoughts take over. Yes, the restaurants here are not up to North American standards. However, we were able to talk with the workers because they aren’t rushing around serving lots of people. The waitresses came to play with Jonathan and we were allowed to sit around and enjoy ourselves (sometimes we play games) while the workers got us drinks and chatted with us. Plus the restaurant that we went to was on the ocean, so we were able to jump in and cool off while we waited. There are so many unique and great things about the restaurants here in PNG! After all, when was the last time you were able to sit at a restaurant in November and enjoy a warm breeze and a view of the ocean. Oh and by the way the steak was returned, cooked, and Beth enjoyed the taste.
Ingratitude steals the good things out of our lives. ….”Ingratitude steals it all – healthy relationships, humility, contentment, enjoyment, and the sweet walk with Christ that provides our only access to abundant life.” If we are not being thankful, not living with a grateful spirit then we default to an ungrateful spirit without even thinking about it. God is challenging our thinking… we are reading a book about Gratitude which is making us more and more excited about being a child of God. “In fact, so powerful is the influence exerted by ingratitude, that when we displace it with gratitude, we will likely find a multitude of other sins dislodged from our lives…. When gratefulness returns, it brings with it the attending blessings and beauties of holiness.” Choosing Gratitude, your journey to joy by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.
This gives us something to ponder …. We want to ask you to pray for us, that we would choose gratitude over ingratitude as we go through our daily lives. So many times we pray for strength to deal with the struggles here. But maybe we should focus on the good things instead of our struggles. Focusing on all of God’s many blessings will in turn make our struggles seem smaller in our minds.
Praises!
– A Savior who loves us, takes care of us and knows every detail of our lives!
– Many opportunities to have fresh lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, zucchini, sugar fruit and carrots flown in from the Highlands!
– Celebrated 5 years of marriage on Nov 7th!
– Jonathan is now 21 months old… talking in conversation form… even though is sentences consists of one word. 🙂
– Jacob’s grandmother’s tumor is not cancerous.
– Opportunities to celebrate special days at restaurants in town!
– God’s continued provision for our needs moment by moment!
– Safety at work for Jacob!
– Over half of the cement is completed on the Boat house project!
– Opportunity to help out with the Interface program in Madang region next summer! Beth will cook and Jacob will fix everything that breaks.
– Jacob’s mom will be coming over to help next summer too, to take care of Jonathan so Beth can work in the kitchen!
Prayer requests:
– Ability to choose gratitude instead of our default of ingratitude in the circumstances of our daily lives.
– Rest in God as we enjoy being parents each day.
– Wisdom as Jacob works each day to repair and maintain the NTM Center.
– Wisdom for Jacob and Bill as they plan and work on the new Boat House.
– Healing of our friend, Elissa, so she can work full time in PNG.
– The Myer and Goheen families as the men head out into the bush tomorrow to start building their houses…. Where they will learn the language & culture in order to present the Gospel message!
– Opportunity to help out with Interface – Prayer for Jacob’s mom as she plans to come over to help and take care of Jonathan… finances for travels.
– God would continue to raise up more missionaries to come to the Sepik region and bring the Gospel to those who have never heard it their own heart language.
– Rich and Dawn Foster & family, as they recover from health issues so they can return to PNG and settle back into a ministry with the Bena.
– More co-workers to work alongside Rich and Dawn Foster.
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