One child sat in the back with a scowl on her face. She forgot her water bottle. and even after getting it for her she seemed to be still upset over it. The other child sat in the front and she was pensive and worried that we were going to be late. One tardy note was more than enough for her and if she could walk by herself to school, she would prefer the walk to being late. And of course, I was filled with all kinds of "wrong" emotions from anger and worry, to fear and fatigue.
Each of us sat in a sad, very sad state. For Paige, I'm sure she wondered why couldn't she have remembered to get her water bottle in the first place. For Sydney, I imagine she couldn't understand how I could be running late again. And as for me, I was upset because no one came to the door to open it quickly when I knocked, and I was also frustrated that despite getting up early and trying my best - I was still late. I was also worried and afraid that frustration, anger and fear are becoming regular guests instead of occasional visitors. This is not exactly the way you want to start a day.
Even when we started our morning prayers, it was evident we were hurt and hurting people. We were hurt from disappointment, and hurting each other by our tones, body language, and our words. Even as we prayed we didn't seem to mask that we weren't happy and we were wounded. However, it all seemed to turn around when God told me to praise Him in prayer.
You see, my prayer started out so bland and dry and sad that I felt myself sinking deeper and deeper into anger and sadness. But then God spoke to my heart and said to give thanks. Give thanks? Yes, give thanks and expect even more good things to come.
So I did, and I am again right now. I thanked God and I thank God for my house, the doors that lock and keep us safe. The clean water that fills our water bottles. I thank God for the roof over our heads that doesn't leak, the truck that continues to faithfully get us to school and work. I thank God for the job that puts enough food on the table and allows me the privilege of being at home at night with my children. I thanked God for each of my girls and the fact that Christ died for them even before they were born. I thank God for salvation and freedom, for love and his love. I thank God for my wife, even as we go through a season of disappointment, fear and worry. I thank God for the breakfast I ate, the legs that walked this morning. I thank God for waking up and being able to get out of bed. I thank God that when Emma cried there was formula and bottled water to feed her. I thank God that Ava is fiery and so full of life that she wakes us up, keeps us on our toes, and has a smile that lights up a room. I thank God that Paige keeps a short memory of her hurts and that Sydney is so well organized. I thank God for Gabbi's sense of fashion, her creativity and smarts. I thank God for Cassarra's talent in band, her organization, her health and strength and that she has her mom's caring spirit.
Try it! Praise God for the little and the large and see if it can't turn your day around. I think the main thing that brings us triumph isn't having more of stuff or less of pain, but how we praise God. No one opened the door, and yes the kids are sometimes slow to respond to knocks - but thank God there is a door. Thank God we have a house. Thank God that I didn't have a true emergency. Thank God that he is God, and he is good. Thank God that he reminded me to praise him.
Your turn.....
What is one thing you can give thanks for?
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