Show Some Gratitude

As adults, we can sometimes become so busy with life that we lose sight of the basics. However, children have a funny yet simple way of reminding us just what those basics are. My boys say thank you to me all of the time. For every little thing. Even things that I don’t think they need to thank me for like cuddling with them at night, making cupcakes together, or playing at the park. I am their mother. This is what mothers are supposed to do, right? Jonah has been potty training and no kidding y’all, whenever I buy him underwear, he gets so excited and says, “Mommy, awh, you bought these for me? Thank you Mommy!” accompanied with a great big hug and kiss. In my mind, I’m thinking, it’s just underwear but you’re welcome buddy. Jayden is the same way. On our ride home from Five Guys he’ll say, “Thank you for taking us to Five Guys Mommy”. Again, in my mind, I’m thinking... it was just a burger... we had to eat dinner and I refuse to cook today (LOL). Every morning on the way to school/babysitter/work, we pray. If it were not for my habitual tardiness everywhere I go, we would pray at home but that’s besides the point people ;). Sometimes I lead the prayer and sometimes Jayden leads (Jonah hasn’t progressed to all of that yet but we can count on him to holler AMEN). When Jayden prays, he thanks God for everything his little heart can think of; from Jesus dying on the cross for our sins to trees so that we have oxygen to live, animals and plants so that we have food to eat. I’ve heard him thank God that we have a car to get us to church so that we can learn more about Him, shoes on our feet, a home to go to each day and so much more. Sometimes he gets so deep into his thankfulness and expressing his gratitude to God that he doesn’t even bother asking Him for anything. This reminds me to be grateful for all things, big and small. Because just as Jayden realizes that I don’t necessarily have to take them out to eat dinner and just as Jonah realizes I don’t necessarily have to buy him Batman underwear, I realize that God doesn’t have to wake me up in the morning. It’s just that simple. So every morning that my feet hit the floor, the very first words out of my mouth will be “Thank you Lord”. Even when there are prayers that I want God to answer, I hope that I am more like Jayden and get so caught up in my thankfulness that I sometimes forget to utter my requests. We spend so much time complaining about what’s wrong that we don’t express our gratitude for what’s right. We spend so much energy wasting & worrying about things that don’t matter that we lose sight of what really does matter. So take some time to show God some gratitude (Psalm 107:1 -- “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever.”)for every single thing He has done and is doing in your life because understand, He doesn’t have to do it... but aren’t you glad that He did/does?