Thought for the Week
A few years back, our washer and dryer broke down, and my wife and I grumpily lugged all of our clothes to a local laundromat. (Being a playwright, I naturally turned it into a scene, available at SkitGuys.com.)
“So,” I observed, “our marriage outlasted our washer and dryer.”
“What are the odds?” Trudy snarked.
“Of our marriage lasting?”
“No! Of our washer and dryer dying within two days of each other!”
“Actually, I think it’s kind of touching, like when old couples die so close together because they can’t bear to live without each other.”
Back when we were first married, we drove to the laundromat every week and were grateful to have a partner to–literally–share the load with. But that was then. This was now.
“The Bible says, ‘In all things give thanks,’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18), Trudy noted, “but how can we be thankful for this?”
Just then I found a fabric softener sheet in a pair of boxer shorts. “You owe me a buck.”
“What?” she replied. But then she remembered: “The Dryer Fairy!”
“Yeah! Every time our kids found one of these in their socks or shirts, they said ‘The Dryer Fairy‘ had put it there, and we were supposed to give them a dollar!”
“And when we said no they started giving each other a buck out of their own allowance!”
“How cute was that?”
Our mood was instantly altered. Not by comfort or convenience, but by love. Sometimes, it seems, our children teach us.
“Look, we’re being ‘thankful for everything,'” I said.
“It’s in everything, babe,” Trudy corrected, “not for everything. I mean, I’m not thankful for this.” She gestured around her. “But I’m thankful for our kids. And for you.”
“That our marriage has outlasted our washer and dryer?”
“Yeah. And that God loves me despite my ratty attitude.”
“Hey, 90% of gratitude is attitude.”
“And the other 10% is ‘grr.’ That’s the part I was focusing on.”
Happiness isn’t necessary for gratitude, but gratitude is necessary for happiness. The only way to be consistently happy is to build your happiness baseline on gratitude (from the Latin gratis = “thank you”). King David put it this way:
“Enter with the password: ‘Thank you!’ making yourself at home!” ~Psalm 100:4
Great post! Right when I was just mad at my husband for not putting the dishes away properly in the dishwasher! Sounds like you have a great marriage!
Thank you for the wonderful reminder, Mitch!
“And the other 10% is grrr.” That’s just grrrrreat! Made me laugh out loud.
Oh, the banter. A delight to read, Mitch! 🥰😊🥰
Cute picture ^^;
If I were to argue theology, Mitch, I would say that we are told to thank God for everything (Ephesians 5:20) as well as in everything (elsewhere). But I won’t
ephesians 5:45 he that have everlasting life
The thankful in everything is from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
I loved it when I found that verse with God’s password.
Good example of the meaning of an important verse.
1 thessalonians 5:43 like thy enemy
Great post, Mitch…The whole conversation and message! And you two are adorable together! 🥰🥰
Gratitude is so important. It’s the one ingredient in the recipe (amount is a pinch) but if left out, makes all the difference in the world. Thanks for sharing. Cute story. By the way, who did the toes? Talented.
If toes can be happy after being stomped on day in and day out, I can be happy. 🙂
Love this, Mitch!
Congrats on a strong marriage!
I really appreciate your lesson today
Loved your play on words – attitude vs. gratitude!
58 years together on Turkey day. How many washer and dryers? Where are all thjose missing socks? Ah, kids today do not do matched pairs, I get it now.
I read this post when you first published it, and it’s been on my mind ever since. That distinction between being thankful for and being thankful in 🤯. It helps me find gratitude, and practice it (something I struggle with). Just letting you know the influence of your post. Thank you for sharing! ❤️
Kudos for achieving an attitude-adjustment without too much trouble! Must also say I love that Dryer Fairy story. Shouldn’t be surprised you’ve got creative kids!
Simply love the post!
“Hey, 90% of gratitude is attitude.”
“And the other 10% is ‘grr.’ That’s the part I was focusing on.”
I did the math. It’s more like 80% of gratitude is attitude, 20% is “grr,” and I think some tea helps.
i disagree with this post. If you truly want to find happiness, visit https://wordpress.com/post/upliftuniverse.wordpress.com/4 and leave a like and comment. If you ignore this message, an obese man will eat your family
Well, okey-dokey then, Glenn.
March 28, 2024. To anyone who happens to read this: WordPress seems to have eliminated all of my former likes and responses following the original posting of the blog, so I quickly read and re-Liked them.
Great post. Love how you pointed out that we don’t have to be happy to be grateful. Many times that which we think is bad for us, God is using for our own good. Bless you
Very true, and God bless you too, Georgios.
🙏
Thank you, Georgios.
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