thank you God for

The weather is beautiful here today.  Tomorrow it is supposed to be pouring rain.  It definitely gives us a sense of urgency to be outside and really appreciate the nice weather while it is here.  Tomorrow it will look very different.  We only have today,


I took the kids out for a walk this morning.  About half way through, Bundle Boy was complaining about the gentle breeze.  He wanted to go home.  His Daddy's old uniform hat was pulled down over his eyes.


"Lift your head so you can see all the beautiful things God created today," I said.  "You can't see anything if your eyes are pointed at the ground."


"I don't want to," he said.


Seriously the weather couldn't be any more gorgeous out.  Am I raising an indoor boy?  Sigh.


To diffuse the grumbling, I asked him to tell me all the beautiful things he could see that God made.  He wasn't in the mood.  Finally a quiet answer.  "Grass," he said.


"Thank you God for the grass," I said.  "It's beautiful!"


Then it was my turn.


"Thank you God for the blossoms.  They are beautiful."


Then him.


"Thank you God for the leaves.  They are beautiful."


Then me.


"Thank you God for the flying cardinals.  They are beautiful."


And on and on.  Suddenly his attitude had changed, his head was lifted and life became less about him and how he felt about his circumstances and more about the grace of God.


You can't be both ungrateful (grumbling and complaining) and thankful at the same time.


We choose to be thankful.  Soften our ungrateful hearts Lord.  Help us fight our number one enemy: self.


After saying the obvious beautiful things along the walking path, I started pointing out the ugly-beautiful things.


"Thank you God for the trash on the side of the road.  It's beautiful."


"Huh?  Trash is yucky.  It isn't beautiful," he said.


Oh my son.  You'll learn soon enough.


More to come...