Younger Every Day: Object Lessons

"If you woke up tomorrow

with only the things that

you thanked God for yesterday,

what would you be left with?"

I know....WOW!

I wish I could say that this thought-provoking question was a Denise original, but...it's not. I read this as a post on Facebook this week, and it has stuck in my brain all week long.

In fact, I can say that I have been more prone to praying without ceasing this week!

Everytime something pops into my head that I am thankful for, I say a little grateful prayer.

Yes, I am mature enough in my walk with the Lord to know that He wouldn't take all the things away from me that I forgot to thank Him for....at least not overnight. However, yet again, I have to consider this question from the stand point of a parent & child.

Many years ago, I was shopping with one of my children & we happened upon some cute little skirts. We hadn't planned to shop for skirts, but she did need one & the price was right. So, we took several of them into the fitting rooms & tried them on. Well, she had her heart set on one in particular for no other reason than it came with a glittery belt. However, it did NOT look good on her, so I told her no. I did tell her we would get the one that looked adorable on her. She was less than thrilled. We went to the check out line & had to wait for a bit until our turn. During the wait, she was behaving a whole lot LESS than grateful for the purchase I was about to make for her. So much so, that I decided an object lesson was in order. As our turn came, I told the lady that we had decided not to get the skirt after all, and then had my daughter return it to the rack. She was devastated! While it wasn't the one she wanted, she DID want it. She cried & begged...totally changing her story when it was being taken away.

She did not get a skirt that day.

And she remembers that lesson in gratefulness to this day!

I must ask....does God use object lessons with His kids?

From experience, I can say He does.

What if I am pouting because things aren't going the way I felt they should?

What if I grumble & complain about living in a huge double-wide mobile home with a doable payment (which I do NOT...but, for the sake of making a point....) because I had drawn up the plans for the house I wanted & THAT is the ONLY thing I think I'll be happy with!!! What if He gave me everything I thought I needed?? Whew! The house payment, the cleaning, the maintenance...

What if I constantly complained (...I have been guilty of this one...but not 'constantly') about the number of children God chose to BLESS us with?

WHICH ONES WOULD I BE CONTENT TO LIVE WITHOUT????

No, I never dreamed of mothering 8 kids, but I can't imagine NOT mothering them, either! I am truly grateful for the object lessons I learn almost daily from this task God has given me.

What do I need to be grateful for?

Only EVERYTHING!

I can truly say that I am even grateful for the hard times He has brought us through. We are stronger for it.

Thank you, Lord...

for the sunshine

for birds

for color

for kids

for laughter

for tears

for food

for pain