Whining (or winning)

Aren't we equipped with such great capabilities with our voices? Such range and pitch. For some it's melodic and others a bit scratchy...But I was commenting to my son yesterday about the purity of vocal projection when it comes to kids. Their sound just CARRIES pretty much above everything.
I am not sure what happens to that ability as we get older. Jesus was able to speak to large crowds without microphones and speakers and probably without shrieking to get His voice to carry. We long for our babies to talk and then when they do and when they catch on to inflections it can be fun unless it is Whining..Ewwwwwww...so irritating! Such volume. Such perfect projection. Definitely gets our attention. Since we do not like the sound of whining,  we understandably do everything we can to train them NOT to use their whiny voices...
This is not a lesson on how to keep our kids from whining though... sorry. This is about whining when things do not go my way. Another term that fits in the same category of dislike is grumbling...Oh my goodness! Nancy if I may grab and apply your phrase once again it's "NOT ATTRACTIVE".

God is bigger than me. He is stronger than me. Even though He gives me freedom of choice He does have a plan for me if I will simply get on board and stay on board and not grumble and whine at any turn that takes me by unpleasant surprise. This is challenging isn't it?
Evidently God dislikes whiny, grumbling tones too. The people he miraculously delivered from slavery and opened a sea for and fed fresh manna in the morning to and kept their clothes from wearing out ended up taking 40 long years traveling in a desert circle around and around largely due to grumbling and complaining. "I miss the leeks. I miss the garlic"...did they miss the oppression of a task master?... they forgot that part. They missed staying in one home and raising kids (who were going to be slaves too mind you). Looks like we may be taken out of slavery but also need slavery as an image taken out of us.

I think a partial solution is praise and thanksgiving. Deliberately changing what wants to just let loose in my mind and mouth to do something that will help bring God on the scene (though sometimes an honest "HELP" will do when it is all I can muster at the time). The word of God says "God inhabits that is lives in, dwells in, the praises of His people" So if I want more of God actively involved in my life I should praise Him more..Not for His ego's sake because that is not how He is. But let me ask you this. When you have a child, or spouse or any person really that lets you know how much they appreciate you and what you do for them instead of whining and grumbling about the next thing they are asked to do or are asking you to do, don't you just want to be with them and do more for them? I do. And when they do whine constantly and complain aren't you just wearied by it? Don't you just want them to stop. Be quiet. Use a pleasant voice. I do too.

So my suggestion to us is that we "put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" as scripture says and move on out of the dark places whining and grumbling would have us dwell in. Maybe this doesn't fit you today but I have had lots of opportunity to put this into practice today (ummmm no. I am not complaining in a veiled sort of way either) but go ahead start thanking God for the things He has done for you. The times He came through when you didn't see any possible way. For breath. For salvation. For the beauty around you. You will be glad you did! Then make it a practice to do that. Not just be an asker. And definitely not a whiner. That is something else that never looks good on us no matter what shoes we wear.