Complaining

When a woman has her body go through all kinds of changes like this, I think she should have some leeway as she figures out how to deal gracefully with her changing body and often-raging emotions. However, there are enough people dealing with more incredibly difficult things than pregnancy in the world that I don’t give–at least I don’t give myself–leeway to be an irritable, complaining grouch.

We’re in New Orleans this weekend for a wedding and I should admit that today has been the first day of the pregnancy when I have wanted to do some seriously irritable, grouchy complaining!

Almost from the moment we arrived in Louisiana for the wedding on Friday afternoon, I started feeling irritated at many things. Then this morning, I found myself complaining constantly into my husband’s ear. 

At some point this morning, however (and I hope before I did too much “Debbie Downer” damage to my husband and in-laws) I just decided to make myself “get a grip.” I let myself fall behind the group at that point and I literally put my hand to my mouth and “zipped it.”

I believe there is power and meaning in physical actions we do in prayer, such as kneeling, the sign of the cross, raising our hands, etc.

For my “Jesus, please help me to get a grip on my emotions, be like your Mother, and not put a damper on anyone’s day” prayer, doing the little movement to figuratively “zip” up the complaining on my lips was just something I knew I had to do.
I am still feeling a little irritable this evening, but I am thankful that Jesus has given me more than enough grace to help me be pleasant and kind today. I don’t think that Jesus takes away our painful or negative emotions all of the time when we ask Him; sometimes He asks us to work through them.