How to Blow Out the Pity-Party Candles

Welcome to a pity-party. Pass out the party hats, blow up balloons, and strike up the band…oh, and don’t forget the Wailing Wall, because it’s a pity-party. My pity-party! We all have them now and then, and we like to send out invitations. Rallying as many as possible to join in our celebration. Someone please feel sorry for me.

I was at church, one of my favorite places in the entire world, and yet I was having a “party.” And not only that, I was doing my best to enlist my husband and kids. But no one would join me. It was a party for one, a solo act if you will.

Next, I invited God to join in on my festivities. He didn’t seem to see things quite the way I did.

Stepping outside to take in the sunshine and a few breaths didn’t seem to help.

Then, I noticed a van that shuttled our handicapped church members and visitors pulling into our church parking lot. As the van circled the lot a car pulled in the reserved spot and blocked the handicapped unloading area. Some people can be so rude! I thought I might be witness to a little shuttle scuttle.

I watched as the female driver stepped out from the van and asked the car parked in the handicapped-unloading zone to move. She was nice about it. Hmmm.

After the car moved without incident, the van pulled into the spot. My heart melted watching this dedicated, kind woman. She got out of the van, and opened the side door. She then gently guided the elderly lady in a wheelchair down the ramp. The driver hit her own head in the process. I heard her let out a big, “Ouch.”

What dedication! What strength! What kindness!

What an idiot I am!

I took off my pity-party hat, and stopped blowing my pity-party horn and thanked God that I could walk.

It can become so easy to focus on what we don’t have, what we don’t like, and what didn’t go our way. We can hoard our blessings, taking them in like a glutton, and then forget to take a breath and exhale thankfulness. We forget to thank God and others. Sometimes along the way we stop cultivating a heart of gratefulness. We begin to take what is extraordinary for granted.

Once, I was behind an elderly gentleman in line at the grocery store and overheard his conversation with the checker.

“Hello. How are you today sir?”

“I woke up this morning with a heartbeat. Everything is extra after that!”

I have a heartbeat! I can walk! And if that is all we have today, for that we can be thankful! But oh, most of us have so much more—so many blessings—too many to count.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4: 6-7).

The cure for a bad attitude is to count your blessings!

What are you thankful for today? How do you pull yourself out of a pity-party? Please share it with us.