Thankful for Thankfulness

I have the sweetest 2 1/2 year old little boy!! Sorry ladies, the Lord gave me the most precious of all :). Lately, Truett has been expressing his thankfulness to me in abundance. I don't know what brought this on. We don't reward him for being thankful, so I know that's not motivating him. He is just thankful.

Like yesterday, we were driving down Bayshore and he was looking out at the water and was talking to himself as he was remembering a recent time when I scooped him and his baby brother up to go see the cruise ship set out from port. We raced to the end of Davis Islands and sat on the beach and watched the big ship go by. Truett waved his arms in delight and shouted over and over, "I'm seeing an ocean liner! A real one! Out in the Tampa Bay!" We had been learning about things that go in water and he has always taken to the big ships. So when I got the text from Artie that the cruise ship was in full view, I couldn't resist to bring Truett happiness. I delighted to go and do that because Truett did.

As Truett was remembering that fun, spontaneous outing he gently said to me, "Mommy, thank you. Thank you for taking me to see the ocean liner. Thank you, Mommy."

And again, one night last week I took Truett out on a 'late night' date (past HIS bedtime) just the two of us to go get ice cream (because we always have Wes with us too of course). We had the most precious time together. He is just a joy! And all the way home he was telling me thank you. Over and over again. I got to where I wanted to tell him he didn't have to tell me thank you that much, but he was enjoying telling me. And he always wanted me to affirm it by saying 'you're welcome, I had fun too'. (Side note - a few nights later I was asking Truett if he would want to go on another date with just Mommy. His response, "well, Mommy, I think you need to take Wesee with just you, not Truett." Such a loving child!)

And tonight, I was cleaning up the kitchen from dinner and Truett looks over at me and says, "I loves you, Mommy. So much!" Ok, I'm going to burst with love for this child...I can't stand it!

The point is this ... Truett's thankfulness blesses me. It endears him to me even more. Does he HAVE to say thank you? No. But he does. And often. And if I'm being honest, it makes me want to bless him more because I know he'll be thankful. Truly, it just doesn't get much better than that. A child being genuinely thankful. I got a very small glimpse of how God must feel when we are thankful to Him. How much it must bless Him when we exude gratefulness for how much He demonstrates His love for us. To worship Him in gratitude brings Him glory!

Everytime Truett says thank you I can't help but smile. I have a new perspective on the Heaven-end of being thankful to God. How cool to know that when I am truly, genuinely thankful it might possibly bring a smile to the Holy Face of God, and maybe, just maybe, it endears me to Him even more than before.

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe"

Hebrews 12:28

The Law of Kindness

Sara Groves wrote a song that sings, “It’s a sweet, sweet thing, standing here with you and nothing to hide, Light shining down to our very insides, sharing our secrets, bearing our souls, helping each other come clean” (Different Kinds of Happy from Fireflies and Songs album). That’s how I felt at Beth Moore’s LIVE Simulcast event that our church hosted on Sat 9/18. Sisters in Christ standing together, wide open hearts for the Light of Christ to shine down deep, being honest, and bearing our souls (love that line!).

The challenge Beth gave us came from Proverbs 31:26…

“She opens her mouth in wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.”

The Law of Kindness. Just think about that. The world we live in is mean, and according to the Word it’s not going to get any nicer as time progresses. So WE (the believers and followers of Christ Jesus) are going to be God's instruments of kindness to this mean world. And secondly, let’s face it – we, as women, WILL open our mouths. It’s what we do … we talk. (Or as I like to say, verbally process :).)

What kind of things come out of our mouths? Our publications (blogs, facebook, etc.)? Emails? What other “laws” are on our tongues? How do we treat others? Do we, like the Lord commands, “love [our] enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then [our] reward will be great, and [we] will be sons of the Most High, because [we] are kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” (Luke 6:35) To the ungrateful!? Really, Lord? Yes, because He is kind to us even when we forget His lovingkindnesses. Praise his Name!

Now listen, I’m not always kind, I fall into the mean world just like everyone else. But I do know this - the kindness and love of my God appeared in a Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 3:4). And through His indwelling Spirit, I CAN possess His attribute of kindness in my disposition to others. And if that is not enough, it is His kindness that leads me to this place of repentance (Romans 2:4). His yoke is kind, not forceful or mean. His voice is gentle. THIS is the God we serve! Hallelujah!

Let us remember the lovingkindnesses of our God … for in keeping good memory we will keep in the law of kindness being on our tongues. So here’s to a legacy of kindness- to the glory of His sweet Name, “to win as many as possible” (1 Cor. 9:19) and to “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:14)

Some pictures...

*our leadership team meeting

**Me and my sweet friend, Hannah

***Wibke, Becky and Grace

Promise

Everytime I see a rainbow, it wells up within me gratitude for the faithfulness of God because when He makes a promise, He keeps it! I rest assured of this! For even when the 'sky of life' is dark and swirling with rain, the Truth of His Word will always be our beacon on Hope!

"Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."

1 Thessalonians 5:24

*A picture I took off Bayshore Blvd in Tampa.