The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States "Do I grumble or complain constantly?" for Wednesday, 16 November 2016

[Material in this GPS is mainly drawn, or slightly adapted, from The Wesley Challenge: 21 Days to a More Authentic Faith, by Chris Folmsbee, to be published by Abingdon Press in March, 2017.]
The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States "Do I grumble or complain constantly?" for Wednesday, 16 November 2016

Philippians 2:14 Do everything without kvetching or arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure children of God, without defect in the midst of a twisted and perverted generation,[Philippians 2:15 Deuteronomy 32:5] among whom you shine like stars in the sky, 16 as you hold on to the Word of Life. If you do this, I will be able to boast, when the Day of the Messiah comes, that I did not run or toil for nothing.
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Are you a constant complainer? It’s easy to find out: ask the people around you. When we
complain, we think we are just making observations about reality. But constant complaining creates an alternative reality that leads us to shirk responsibility and blame others for our discontent. Wesley called us to ask ourselves and one another this question so that we can replace negative
with positive thoughts, and start developing new habits marked by hope and optimism.
• Do you think you are optimistic or pessimistic by nature? What kind of feedback have you received from people in your life about this aspect of your personality? Do you believe it is possible to reframe your approach to circumstances to view them in a positive vs. negative light? What could help you do this?
• Think about any constant grumblers you know. What choices might be driving their negative outlook? Who do you know who is consistently a “glass half-full” person? Observe closely what decisions and practices seem to help them live their lives this way. When have you made a conscious decision to be more positive about a particular situation, or about your life overall?
Prayer: Holy God, you always work for my good. May I honor you by avoiding complaining and replacing it with rejoicing, even when things do not go my way. Amen.
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Insights from Kari Burgess

Kari Burgess serves as ShareChurch Communications & Guest Relations Program Director at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.
I’ve got to admit, in reading the Scripture passage and GPS commentary for today, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to ask others about whether I am a constant complainer. I was worried about the answer I’d hear. As I’ve reflected on this question the last few days, I came to the conclusion I’ve been rather grumbly lately. We’ve just come through an exceptionally difficult election season, life is super busy right now with running kids around and working full time, and for goodness sake it is getting dark every day by 5:30! (See how easy it is to make excuses?)
As I was driving home yesterday, a song came on the radio which I’ve sung along to dozens of times over the years: Ironic by Alanis Morisette. If you’re not familiar with it, this song has a catchy tune and is filled with metaphors (or is simile the right literary term?) about how unfair life can be. Here is a taste of the lyrics:

A traffic jam when you’re already late.

A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break.

It’s like ten thousand spoons when all you need is knife.

It’s meeting the man of my dreams and then meeting his beautiful wife.

And isn’t it ironic, don’t you think. A little too ironic, and yeah I really do think.

It’s like rain on your wedding day.

It’s a free ride when you’ve already paid.

It’s the good advice that you just didn’t take.

Who would’ve thought, it figures.
It figures. Yep. This sums it up for me pretty well. It is so easy to get jaded, sarcastic and negative about anything and everything.
Then, not an hour after I heard that song on the radio, I was helping my 11-year-old daughter prepare for her middle school musical audition. She was rehearsing My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music. Talk about a contrast! Maria Von Trapp just might be the cheeriest, most positive character ever. Here are a few lines from that song:

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens.

Brown paper packages tied up with string,

These are a few of my favorite things…

When the dog bites. When the bee stings.

When I’m feeling sad,

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don’t feel so bad!

I asked myself, do I want to be more like the character from Alanis Morisette’s song, or like Maria Von Trapp? How much happier (and easier to be around) would I be if I maintained a positive attitude about life like Maria Von Trapp! It’s hard to do sometimes, sure. But I plan to do my best to consciously reset myself when I start seeing everything as “ironic” and instead focus on some of my favorite things. Inviting the Holy Spirit into my heart and praying a prayer of gratitude will be a good way to start.
Each day we make a choice. What kind of attitude do I choose to have today (or even in this moment)? Am I going to be a complainer: jaded, pessimistic and sure life is out to get me? Or will I choose to trust in the hope of Jesus, assume the best in people and have a positive, optimistic outlook on life? Join me in adding a little more Maria Von Trapp to life!-------
"Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?" for Thursday, 17 November 2016
1 Timothy 6:7 For we have brought nothing into the world; and we can take nothing out of it; 8 so if we have food and clothing, we will be satisfied with these. 9 Furthermore, those whose goal is to be rich fall into temptation; they get trapped in many foolish and hurtful ambitions which plunge them into ruin and destruction.
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The underlying principle behind this question of Wesley’s is simply: Who or what owns us? What consumes us? Who or what do we allow to control our life? When we are a slave to something or someone, it clearly means that we take our direction from a controlling person or object that is not God. We are called toward a healthy, balanced life of serving the Kingdom virtues we see in the life of Christ.
• What controls your life? Be honest with yourself. What is the focus of most of your thoughts? What preoccupies you? How much time, effort and focus would be available for your participation in the mission of God if this factor did NOT preoccupy your life? Ask your spouse or a trusted friend to alert you when they notice you “feeding” this preoccupation in a way that limits your ability to allow God to control your life.
• One of the best ways to control or curb your enthusiasm for things in your life that consume you other than God’s mission is to consistently serve others. Find a place to serve regularly, to help rebalance the priorities in your life. (Go to www.cor.org/missions to view one good listing of lots of varied options for ways and places to serve.) Don’t put it off, and don’t wait for the ideal service situation to present itself. Try out a variety of service opportunities to find the place that captures your attention and focus.
Prayer: God, help me resist the desire to collect things I do not need, to resist the temptation to allow my impulses and obsessions to direct my decision-making. Help me to give you all I am and have. Amen.
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"How do I spend my spare time?" for Friday,  18 November 2016
2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now, in the name of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we command you, brothers, to stay away from any brother who is leading a life of idleness, a life not in keeping with the tradition you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you must imitate us, that we were not idle when we were among you. 8 We did not accept anyone’s food without paying; on the contrary, we labored and toiled, day and night, working so as not to be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not that we hadn’t the right to be supported, but so that we could make ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: if someone won’t work, he shouldn’t eat! 11 We hear that some of you are leading a life of idleness — not busy working, just busybodies! 12 We command such people — and in union with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we urge them — to settle down, get to work, and earn their own living. 13 And you brothers who are doing what is good, don’t slack off!
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A 2014 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey said that, on average, employed Americans age 25-54 with children sleep 7.7 hours a day. Of the remaining 16.3 hours, people in that group average 2.5 hours of leisure time, what we might assume Wesley meant by “spare time.”
1 It is essential to determine where in your day you have spare time. You must also find what you should do with that time. This is
not a time to answer emails you didn’t get to during your hours of work! Wesley proposed this as a key question for Christians so that we can determine which activities help us be refreshed, renewed and refocused on the essential priorities of our lives.
• Wesley (and Jesus) both want to make sure that we are not wasting time that we could be
using to strengthen our daily pursuit of becoming deeply committed Christians. What activities bring you the most enjoyment and make you feel the most refreshed and energized? How much of your spare time do you spend on these pursuits? If it’s less than you would like, how can you restructure your time so that you are spending it in ways that bring you life?
• Make a spare time “map” of your week. For one week, record everything honestly, (for only your eyes). Be specific enough so that you can spot spare time patterns to help you evaluate your map. Use the calendar or notes functions on your phone to help you, or jot down notes in your desk calendar or portfolio, if that works best for you.
Prayer: God, may I use my spare time in way(s) that please you. Help me develop the consistent practices needed to use the time I have wisely. Amen.
[1 http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/]
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"Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?" for Saturday, 19 November 2016
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of rivalry or vanity; but, in humility, regard each other as better than yourselves — 4 look out for each other’s interests and not just for your own.
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It is healthy to be self-aware. However, being too aware of self can make us self-absorbed if we’re not careful. Wesley wanted us to reflect on the question, “Am I self-conscious, self-pitying or self-justifying?”
so that we confront our human penchant to be so concerned with “self” that we lose sight of the “others” in our lives. Do yourself a favor. Reflect carefully and act swiftly on the core of what Wesley was getting at in today’s question. Watch it change the way you see the world and also the way others see you.
• How often do you attempt something you will be “bad” at? If your answer is “rarely,” why do you think that is? Are you afraid of being embarrassed or looking foolish to others? Are you worried about criticism, or is it because you have an excessive need to always be the “best”? Has anyone ever told you that you are self-absorbed, self-pitying, or self-justifying? What were the circumstances of that encounter? What, if anything, did you learn about yourself as a result?
Prayer: God, teach me to serve you first and to seek your kingdom. Help me to be less concerned about myself and more about you and your mission for this world. Help me not to be so concerned with myself that I forget your purpose for me. Amen.
Family Activity: Did you know that God wants us not only to care for others, but to also care for ourselves? Prepare a piece of paper with the headings Physical, Emotional, Spiritual and Mental. Down the left side of the paper, write the name of each family member. First, talk together about how we can each care for ourselves. Are we getting enough rest and eating healthfully? Do we express our emotions in helpful ways? Are we reading our Bible, attending worship and praying? Have we learned any new information recently? Encourage each person to choose one way from each category to commit to growing this year. Pray and ask God to help each of you as you better care for yourselves.

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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer
Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• Marsha Monica and family on the death of her father Dale Dixon, 11/5
• John DeVera and family on the death of his mother Kitty Juanita DeVera, 11/3
• Deb Wertin and family on the death of her mother Donna Bracken, 11/3
• Ty Cowan and family on the death of his son Evan Cowan, 11/1
• Victoria Edmondson and family on the death of her ex-husband Mike Edmondson, 11/1
• Friends and family on the death of Lester “Les” Pebley, 10/31
• John Yost and family on the death of his sister Dorothy Plum, 10/31
• Megan O’Neill and family on the death of her grandfather Nelson Ball, 10/30
• Jane Berry and family on the death of her mother Shirley Conway, 10/30
• Randy Weast and family on the death of his father Max Snodgrass, 10/29

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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
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