Several years ago my cousin came to spend a week or so with us. He was around five at the time. It was SO much fun having a little one around again. Our days were spent stepping over piles of Legos and Matchbox cars. And what fun would there be without building a Brio train track too? You know the kind I’m talking about? The kind that goes around the entire room, down the hall, around the furniture and under tables kind of track! Oh how I miss these kind of days! We spent our week just hangin’ out and playin’. I also snuck in a tickle here and there just so I could hear that sweet little giggle too! ☺

One day the sun was shining and there was a breeze blowing in through the open windows. We could hear the birds chirping and the sound of children playing off in the distance. It was the kind of day where if you could, you would bottle up it up and save for one of those bone chilling winter days or for a day when you just need a little pick me up. Ahhh, such a beautiful day! We sat down for lunch and bowed our heads and I began saying grace. I’m pretty sure my prayer went something like this. “Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this beautiful day! Thank you for the sunshine and the birds.” All of a sudden right in the middle of my prayer, I hear this little giggle! I couldn’t help but open my eyes. What I saw was the most precious sight! This sweet little face smiling from ear to ear as he bowed his head in reverence to the Lord. Oh my heart be still! I couldn’t help but smile too. I continued on with my prayer and thanked God for the blessing of our food. When we finished, I said to this sweet little guy, “You thought that was funny didn’t you? Me, thanking God for the sunshine and birds? His little head bobbed up and down in agreement as he was still smiling from ear to ear. I then began talking to him about the importance of thanking God for everything! Including the sunshine and birds. What started off as a simple prayer ended up being a beautiful teachable moment!

All of my prayers include thanking God for something. I always have something to thank Him for! I have even woke up in the middle of the night from the sound of my snoring hubby and given thanks for the man I am married to… snoring and all. Then I give him a nudge to knock off that snoring and pray, actually pleading with God, ☺ to let me fall back to sleep! Haha! All joking aside, I am thankful for my snoring hubby and sometimes I just lay there listening to that snoring and can’t help but offer up thanks because I am truly blessed and his snoring prompts me to praise God for him.

There’s always something we have to be thankful for. Whether it’s the sunshine and birds, or a snoring loved one. When we begin to thank God for the small and simple things, the big things, and everything in between, we then can look at our life in a completely different way! Our thankfulness begins to take precedence over all that we worry about, all that we struggle with. Showing and recognizing our gratitude also provides us with hope. Hope that even in our troubled times we can still find a blessing. There is beauty and blessings all around us and they comes in many different forms and in all shapes and sizes. Some blessings are obvious, like a promotion or a new home. Others are simple, but just as important, like a warm cozy bed, or gentle smile from a stranger. God desires to hear what’s in our heart! He wants to hear our praises and thankfulness just as much as He wants us to lay our burdens down at His feet.

I was reminded of the kind of relationship God desires from us as I took a peek of my little guy during our prayer. God desires for us to come before Him with childlike faith. This little guy was bowing his head, completely focused and dependent on God in such wonder and awe. It was a beautiful interpretation of how we should come before God with complete faith and dependency! The same kind of faith and dependency a child has with their parent. I can’t help but mention this little side note too. If you have never had the pleasure of ‘peeking’ when a child is praying, I encourage you to take a peek. You won’t be disappointed! I have often times ‘taken a peek’ as my children were praying and let me tell you… it is such a precious sight. It’s so worth the peek! And just because my kiddos are older doesn’t mean I still don’t peek now and then! Wink, wink ☺

As my cousin was leaving and we were saying our good-byes, I hugged him tight and whispered in his ear, “now don’t forget to thank God for the sunshine and birds”. He giggled and nodded his sweet little head as he smiled. I hope I have encouraged you to also thank God for the sunshine and birds.

Blessings!

1 Chronicles 16:8 Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done.