Gift, Not a Burden

I am often, constantly reminded of the two options, choices, perspectives I have.

Gratitude or complaint.

Self-centeredness or God-centered.

Acknowledging the Creator or denying His work.

Gift or burden.

There's a point in the lives of fictional Friday Night Lights characters Eric and Tami Taylor after they've welcomed a baby girl into their family and life is realistically transitional and chaotic. In a conversation about what to do when they go back to work and what to do about childcare and how to parent their teenage daughter, Coach Taylor says, "that is not our burden.."

and then he pauses.

I'm watching and holding with bated breath in the pause. What is he about to say?? Well whose burden is it??

and then he finishes, "that is our gift."

That is not our burden, it is our gift.

What a grace filled truth.

All that we do. This. These are all gifts. Every moment of breath the Creator gives, every hard decision we have to make, every new change.. are gifts. I clench so tight and hold so firm and sigh deeply and wail on cue when really, God is saying look around at what I've given you!! And then I remember the word asset and I remember that everything is a gift to be opened now or later.

Switching from burden to gift creates an atmosphere of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving assures humility.

Humility breeds dependency on Jesus.

I preach this to myself over and over. We don't have to live in the eyesight and mindset of burdens, but we can rejoice wildly. And no, that's not natural and no, it's not second nature - but I believe the more I call on Jesus, the more I see. The more I make the switch. The easier it becomes to say thank you, Jesus.