Are you being a Brat?

We have a hard and fast rule at my house. If you want something, you must ask for it politely.  If you scream and throw a fit, I will not give it to you, even I would have otherwise said, "Sure."

This rule is applied frequently, because my kids whine and throw fits a LOT.

Once my children have thrown a tantrum, they must earn the right to have the item I would have GIVEN to them gladly otherwise.  Sometimes I put them in the corner, sometimes they need to clean up a mess, sometimes they need to issue an apology.  There is no set punishment, because no two situations are exactly similar, but my kids don't seem to realize that they are making their life harder with one thing: their own bad attitude.

We had some friends over for dinner on Sunday night and my friend Kendra's husband commented on this precise topic.  His daughter came in demanding something rudely, as all children do.  He made a face with which I am very familiar, a face that said, "What a brat."  Then he said, "I wonder if our Heavenly Father ever feels this way about us.  I hope he's more temperate than we are."

Of course he's correct that Heavenly Father is more temperate than we are, but He too is training us, teaching his children.  He, too, cannot simply give us something when we throw a fit about it.  I worry sometimes (a lot) that I am raising four kids so spoiled that they will not function well in the real world.  He is raising us, His children, to fulfill the measure of our potential, and that potential is so vast!! We can become something beyond our expectations, beyond our wildest dreams.  I think that very often, we are tremendously hindered by our attitude, just as my children are.

I think back on the Old Testament story of Moses.  He led his people, through many mighty miracles, out of enslavement in Egypt and on an exodus to a promised land.  When they were on the edge of that land, one member of each of the twelve tribes went to scout it out.  They all came back with the report that the promised land was beautiful, bounteous, and wonderful.  Ten reported that to go and take it for themselves would be death--the inhabitants were giants and would destroy them.  Two scouts said to go and take what God promised.

The people did not have enough faith.  They threw a tantrum and refused to go.  I imagine they looked something like this.

Maybe not quite as cute.

In any case, in return for their lack of faith, their bad attitude, and their poor behavior, God took away his promise for that generation. They were doomed to wander in the wilderness for 40 years.  Egads!

How often do we end up wandering in our lives, and how often do we place blame anywhere and everywhere but where it belongs: squarely on our own shoulders?  Don't get me wrong.  A lot of bad things just happen!! I am not saying if you are having trials, they are your own fault.  We will all have trials, because it is how we grow, how we change and strive and improve.  The issue here is how we handle those trials.

I went to a church meeting last night (Enrichment) and spoke with the Relief Society President in our ward.  What a lady!! She casually conveyed how she went from being a mom, to an airplane mechanic, with no prior knowledge or expertise.  The short story is that her husband passed away.  She had to find work, and someone offered to help her go to school to do something she knew nothing about and had no interest in.  It was hard, it didn't make sense and I am sure she wondered why she was bothering to learn something like this at all.  She was in the middle of her life, not at the start.  If I had been where she was, I would have been thinking, "Why me??"  She did it anyway, and when talking to me, there was not a scrap of complaint!  She is truly an example of someone with a uplifting and beautiful attitude.

I look around myself and see innumerable blessings.  I have a beautiful family, with the best husband on earth.  I have four healthy, active, busy children.  I have a lovely home, and we live comfortably.  We go on fun vacations, we live near family.  My husband has a job.  I have been blessed with a healthy body and a fine intellect.  All of these things are rich blessings.

Sometimes I get so caught up in the things that I want, and how long I feel I've been waiting or working for them, that I forget to be grateful for what I have and to keep my attitude in check.  Here is my reminder for all of you. Tonight, think about all your blessings, all your joy.  Think of all your Heavenly Father has done for you,  You will obviously have lots of things to ask for over your lifetime, and that's okay.  Your Father in heaven wants to bless you, just as you want to give good things to your children and family and loved ones.  But try and be patient with His timeframe, and try to be humble and grateful when you ask.

I think even God appreciates a good attitude, so let's fix ours, okay?  :-)