Picture Grandparents Day at Precious Lambs Preschool. Forty proud adults in child-sized plastic chairs surround the gathering of squirmy children sitting on the floor.
My husband and I had spent a fun-filled but tiring day with four-year-old Luke. Now it was Circle Time. We tried not to be as wiggly as the children while the teacher read a storybook about the joys of staying at Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
“Grandma and Grandpa might let you do special things,” she read. “They might let you stay up till midnight. They might even let you have ice cream for breakfast!” She showed us all the brightly colored pictures of children in pajamas smiling over bowls of the tasty treat. Every time she read something Luke deemed to be true, he would turn around, smile, and give us a thumbs up.
When the book ended, the teacher asked, “Do you like to stay at your grandparents’ house?” Luke’s hand shot right up. “Yes, but my grandparents don’t let us stay up till midnight, and we don’t have ice cream for breakfast. Anyway, I don’t want ice cream. I like Pop’s oatmeal better!”
Suddenly the discomfort of the chairs and all my husband’s tiredness vanished.
Beaming from ear to ear, he proudly pointed to himself and told all the people around him, “I’m Pop! That’s my oatmeal he’s talking about!”
The oatmeal itself was nothing unusual, but it was a part of staying with us that Luke and Pop both looked forward to. It created a special bond between them. Luke’s public declaration of appreciation made Pop’s day!
This shows something about our attitude toward God. Some things He does in our daily lives may not look like anything special, seeming so ordinary we hardly notice them. Yet, just as Pop delighted in fixing oatmeal for Luke, God delights in blessing us on a regular basis.
Sometimes I find myself looking for ice cream, hoping for some big, spectacular answer to prayer that will make an exciting testimony.
But how much better to have fouryear-old Luke’s attitude, appreciating the wholesome goodness of everyday interactions with God and valuing the special, unique ways He shows His love and care for us.
Our public expressions of thankfulness for the oatmeal must warm God’s heart. “I’m God!” He says. “I gave her that blessing. That’s Me she’s talking about!”
If you would like to hear solid Bible teaching that helps you focus on the goodness of God and His care for us, come and visit Charis Christian Church at 4811 E. Julep St., Suite 101, in Mesa.