Thankful Thursday - Just The Little Things

It's Thankful Thursday over at Women Taking a Stand.

The other week, when L was sick with a cold, I was helping her change into pajamas and brush her hair. From her 10 year old wisdom, she looks at me and says, "Thanks for taking care of me." I was so humbled by her sincere thankfulness, knowing that at times in her life she wasn't cared for. I've heard words from her that mothers only dream of. :) It was a touching mommy moment.

Then, another day, M looks at me and asks where he got his cuddles (his favorite sleeping toy - a giraffe). My response - "Sissy and Mommy bought it for you the day you came home to live with us." His little boy smile grew wide, his arms opened and hugged, and the words "Thank you, Mommy" poured from his mouth. Again, another touching mommy moment.

The one thing I love about my children is their thankfulness. Where do they get it? I can't say it is always from me. I reflected last night on my past week. Oh, boy, did I ever mess up!

Here's how it went:

Occasion	My response	What I should have done
Battery dies in the car	Complain that we missed a volleyball game and interrupted Dad on a very important work day	Been thankful that the car wouldn’t start at Sonic where there was food and bathrooms instead of the little dirt country road I had been on earlier
Didn't get informed of volleyball schedule change	Complain that I had another appointment that I needed to change and inconvenience another family because of someone's inability to communicate schedules	Been thankful that we've had an opportunity to still get to volleyball and minister to the other family
Wanting to go out for dinner and a movie with only my hubby	Sad and grumpy – washed dishes with a vengeance and yelled at kids	Been thankful that we had a nice home-cooked meal with dessert and a new DVD from Netflix
100+ pigeons who have made my yard, house, fence, and telephone wires their new home	Hide inside the house and complain about the noise the birds make on the roof and flying around the yard	Still working on this….

Okay, so I am still a work in progress and am going to turn the little things into praises for God. I need to thank Him for so much. He has blessed me abundantly and I neglect a simple thank you. I loved Laurie's post on Gratitude or Gratefulness. I want to be more grateful! I want to see God in the little things!

Colossians 2:6 and 7
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Let us be overflowing with thankfulness!