My son asked, “Mom, can I have hot chocolate.”
I figured I was being super nice by saying yes. He wanted marshmallows too.
“You can have 6,” I said.
But, six in the cup looked like a swim party of few, so I reached into the bag and grabbed the biggest handful I could. With an overwhelming feeling of generosity, I dropped them into his mug, expecting to see the face of a kid lit up in a candy shop; he didn’t look impressed.
Oh well. A mom can try.
Even so, I figured, I’d made him happy for the morning. Mission accomplished. I figured wrong. As soon as the last drop was licked out of the cup, he was at it again, “Mom, I didn’t get to eat a marshmallow on its own. I only got them in my cup. Those ones were all wet.”
His face was gearing up for WWIII. My face was not pleased either. I’d just given him ten times more than he deserved and he was whining about one marshmallow? Mom. Can’t. Win.
And, this ungrateful kid won’t win either!
“Son,” I said, “You can either be thankful for what you have or be discontent with what you don’t.”
No sooner were these words out of my mouth than they boomeranged. Boing!!!
They hit me like this:
“Kelly, you can either be thankful for what you have –
or discontent with what you don’t.”Boing!!!
You may be missing me as much as he is Kelly. Boing!!!
Thankfulness is where you find joy, Kelly.
It is where you meet greater trust in me. Boing!!!
You see what you don’t have,
but what you do have is gi-stinking-normous. Boing!!!
You enter my presence with a word of thanks; you find me. Boing!!!
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His name”
(Psalm 100:4)
I want more of God – and all of this is true. God has given me much. He’s reached into the bag of his goodness and made the cups to overflow. He’s gone above and beyond to open up life-changing spiritual insights. He’s provided for me when I saw no way. He’s given me the opportunity to write a book that blessed me beyond get-out with new courage. He has grown me in patience. He has offered me a chance to be near loved ones. He’s grown my faith.
God, hasn’t given me a tad, He’s given me a ton. Yet, sometimes, like my son, I see only the little thing he hasn’t done. I focus on it, forgetting everything else. I get obsessed with that one little marshmallow and forget the sweetness of his providence.
But, what I am coming to today is – I always have something to be thankful for: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chron. 16:34
Quick-fire prayer: Forgive me, God for my ingratitude. Thank you that you do forgive. Thank you, you love me no matter what. Thank you, I cannot step outside of your love. Thank you, you always have a plan. Thank you, you give me handfuls of blessings. Thank you, you see my way and guide me to it. Thank you, you bestow vision. Thank you, you restore me with eyes of clarity as I approach you with the honor you deserve. Thank you, you withhold no good thing from me. Thank you, God, you are all I need. Amen.
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