Lessons from A Three-Year-Old

"Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.^"

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

I love it when my little one prays.

Although sometimes he will include himself 3-4 times during the prayer, I love the innocence of it all. He prays for his family. He prays for his friends at church. For the little boys and girls that don't have any Mommy's and Daddy's. For his Sunday School teacher. The blue sky. The sun. The hot outside and whale sprinkler his Dad has continually forgotten to bring down from the rafters in the garage this week. That Jesus died on the cross for him. The various animals that come to his mind (usually this begins with the chipmunk that runs by the screen door). His books and Bible stories. For the hug he got after the spanking. For the people his Daddy is fixing at the hospital. Sharing with his brother (and sometimes walloping on his brother too). For the food in front of him (and the food he hopes to eat). For the person on the street who is hungry.  That Jesus is Lord.

Sometimes his prayers last a good 5-10 minutes long. As a 3 year old, unless he's in timeout, I can't even get him to sit that long. It amazes me.

I haven't read the book "One Thousand Gifts" from Ann Voskamp, but it's on my list. Maybe I'll finish up one of the other 3 on my nightstand this weekend and pick it up from the library before we head off to visit family next week. But what I have heard is that she started counting all the things she was thankful for and that it helped lead her into a thankful heart focused on God.

Sometimes in the busyness of life I can get sidetracked from these little things. I'll be trying to think of how much I can accomplish in my allotted time with less children while my husband sleeps post-call. Or how much I need to get done before we head off to the next family gathering, vacation, hospital event, etc. Or the correlating, how much I have to do once we return.

And sometimes it takes a toddler, not carrying if his cheerios get soggy to help me refocus. But I love it when he prays and reminds me to be thankful for the little things. A lesson learned in junior high that I still try to apply daily. It is hard not to be joyful when you are thankful. And when we have our sights focused on things above, it is easier to stay above the noise that drones from the world where we now reside.

So this weekend, try to look around you and be thankful for the simple things in life that surround you. Or if you are having a bad day, look for the ray of sunshine, the silver lining within those stormy clouds. Like hugs after discipline. Or the hope of a whale sprinkler for hot outdoor temperatures.

And maybe pass it on. In a smile to a tired cashier. Or a note to a friend. Or if you are bold and don't care what others think of you, you can belt out "Jesus Loves Me" to everyone in JoAnn's as your mother shops for VBS supplies. 

Life truly is beautiful. Each day is a blessing from above. Be thankful for it and don't waste it.