Giving Thanks

Every Sunday morning, after I leave me beautiful little 2-year-olds with their next teacher, I head over to our 1st - 3rd grade junior church. There is always a little trepidation when making that short walk across the parking lot. You never know just what to expect from week to week.

I'm not going to lie, today the natives were restless. We came up with all the standard excuses...it's a full moon; they are ready for their break from school; they are just bad, bad kids (just kidding). When our cherubs are having days like today, you can't help but hope that whichever guy is giving the message/lesson that day is really, REALLY interesting, because if he isn't chances are there will be lots of little children in trouble before the day is over.

Jonathan got up to speak. "How many of you are thankful for everything all the time?"

I always love questions like this. He effectively caused 83 kids to lie in church. Who wants to be the only honest one and not raise their hand on a question like that?

Then he asked, "Who wants money?" At this question, there were 93 hands raised...83 kiddos + 10 workers. We ALL wanted money!

A random child was chosen, and Jonathan gave him a penny. He went back to his seat. This continued on with three of four children. Then, all of the sudden, he called one girl back to the front after she got her penny. She had said "Thank You." Her reward for being thankful for the small things was a dollar.

I was kind of struck by how this all played out. There were probably not 5 minutes between the first question about thankfulness and the second about money, but they had already forgotten to say "Thank you."

I am sure most of them were thinking that a penny is not worth giving thanks over, but still...I couldn't help but wonder how often we as adults do the same thing. We receive so many small blessings each day, yet we never take the time to stop and thank the Lord for it. If we can't appreciate what we've got, then why should He give us extra.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
~ I Thessalonians 5:18