Good Gifts and Childish Hissy Fits

"The fact that we have lived our lives under God's gracious, tender care has not, sadly, multiplied our gratitude but muted it. If you're anything like me, you forget the all-important expression of thanks. How many times do we look back over decades of God's faithfulness to us, centuries of His faithfulness to our families, and gasp in awe? Too often God's good gifts distract us from contemplating His faithful love toward us. Instead of seeing all of this as God's extraordinary grace, we come to expect the comfort and joys that God gives us as the baseline, the measure of what we believe to be our due. When our comfort level drops below our expectations, we are shocked and angered, and even foolishly express our outrage to God Himself. When we throw such childish hissy fits, we too often comfort ourselves by reasoning that God is a big boy, and He can take it. Yes, He can take it. But He is not the big boy we so often imagine. He is instead an infinite God, and He may very well not take it. We need to learn to guard our tongues--and use them to give thanks in all circumstances."

~R.C. Sproul, Jr.

The Call to Wonder

 Ink and Little Big Man (who's not so little) jamming on the guitar and piano

 The Littles having one more morning snuggle in our bed

 Awesome dance moves

 Ink's apprenticeship with a cabinet maker (just one more example of God providing what seems to be the impossible)

The Big Ones who constantly help the Little Ones


I am a much more thankful person now than I was 10 years ago. Of course, that is all grace. Writing down gifts from His hand keeps me mindful of His mercies and does leave me in awe that such a great God would have me in His thoughts and pour out such mercy upon me.

Every night during family worship, we list our praises. Sometimes they seem rote, though, and we have to be reminded to think hard and not just list what comes easily to mind. God gives us so many gifts that we could spend our lives thanking Him for each one and never, never finish.

And then when I have those childish hissy fits, the Holy Spirit brings to mind the ingratitude at the heart of it all. How amazing is His grace, from my salvation to the next breath I take, yet give me the right circumstances, and I'll pour forth murmurings in a heartbeat. It's shameful.

Oh, for more grace to consistently give thanks in all things. How good and great our God is!

With love,
Trisha