Daily Archives: December 9, 2008
Mama Loves: Attitudes of Gratitude
One of my very favorite parts of kids is what they teach me. God tells us to come to Him with a child-like faith. Without being around children, it’s difficult to fully grasp what that entails. I’m not saying you need to be a parent to understand, just that observing children (as a teacher, an aunt, a parent, a friend) adds dimension. It puts flesh on an otherwise abstract concept.
This week Mama loves attitudes of gratitude.
Please note: this is a seasonal mama loves. It’s not always present in this house, but when it is, it blows me away. For example, last night after baths, Zach thanked me for combing his hair. Kids (usually) take very little for granted! Ellie has been thrilled with all the hub-bub that goes with Christmas. She turns off all the lights to admire the twinkling tree. With a big sigh she thanks me and Daddy and Jesus for giving her Christmas. We may have to work on her doctrine a little bit, but I love her sheer joy at these little things most take for granted. And she’s always the first to give an enthusiastic “thank you.”
About a month ago I took the kids to McDonald’s for lunch. Because of Zach’s food allergies (which he outgrew over the summer PRAISE GOD!!) and other reasons (like lingering trauma from watching Supersize Me), we very rarely eat there. Ellie was estatic! She’d never seen anything quite like it. Immediately after finding some seats during the busy lunch rush, she hugged my neck and yelled out: “Thank you, Mommy!! Thank you for bringing us here! I LOVE it!” I’m sure you can imagine the funny looks I got from the other patrons. I mean, what American mother deprives her children of Ronald McDonald and French fries?? What kind of sheltered life am I giving them? But my heart melted. Simple things receive grand showers of thanksgiving.
What about you and me? What can we be grateful for today? How can we foster attitudes of gratitude?
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