Gratitude & A Gluestick
Mary Elizabeth, Mary Elizabeth - the glue is new!?!
The gleeful voice of a three year old calls from across the classroom.
Yeah, bud! It’s a new glue stick, I respond.
He holds it out to me, completely smitten with the new tool.
It’s red!
He points to the red wrapper on the glue stick...that has been in the supply box for at least a week.
Yes, it’s red! You can use it to make a project. I point back to the “Creation Table” where students draw, write, glue, color...there’s no telling what will happen next.
He runs back to the table and starts working. I check in with other students in the classroom - some are building a castle for animals in the block area. One arrives and needs a reminder to wash his hands before joining a friend with puzzles. Someone takes my order and returns with a bowl full of pretend food from the kitchen.
And then he’s back by my side.
I made this for you! It’s a present. It’s for your family. There’s a card in it.
He found some remnants of wrapping paper from our scrap paper bin. He glued the colorful wrapping paper to a larger piece of paper. He made a “card” and tucked it inside. He insisted that I not open it right away. I had to share it with my family. I promised that I would share it with Sylvan (my cat) and he headed back to start another project. A little while later, he returned with a second present...and discovered that the first present was sitting on the counter.
No! It has to go in here - he picked it up and carried both presents to my backpack. I tucked them safely inside and, again, promised to share with Sylvan.
All. Because. Of a gluestick. If a three-year old can feel such gratitude and exuberance over a glue stick, how should we respond to God who gives us so much more than a red glue stick?
I’m slowly working my way through the Psalms. With each verse that I read, I am struck with a desire to praise God. The verses serve as a constant reminder of who God is, what he has created, and how well he loves us. And I’ve found myself growing more and more grateful. I have become more and more aware of how much gratitude I owe to him.
As I continue to work my way through this book of the Bible, I’m challenging myself to do more than just read the words. I want to take these words (David’s words!) and pray them. What would our relationship with God look like if we were constantly expressing gratitude for all that he does for us? We can start by using David’s words…
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. (Psalm 3:5 NIV)
Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. (Psalm 8:1 NIV)
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. (Psalm 16:6-7NIV)
He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. (Psalm 29:6-8 NIV)
I could keep going...the Psalms are full of these praiseful moments, set aside to express our gratitude towards God. Once I become more comfortable using these Psalms to praise God, I can start writing my own prayers of praise. I can write these based on my own, personal life. How do I experience God? What leads me towards his presence? Are there small moments in my life that remind me how much he loves me?
For the moments when students’ eyes light up in exuberance for just “being.” For the fresh snowfall and the safety of a warm home. For fresh-baked bread and a cuddly cat. For all of these things and more, I will praise my God.
For friends who reach out when they can tell I am feeling low. For a mom who cares to know my innermost fears. For a neighbor who shares maple syrup. And for the coworkers who send me encouraging texts after a hard day. For all of these things and more, I will praise my God.
For the way he made my weird left toe. For the breath that fills my lungs as I hike up a mountain. For my bum that sleds down a hill as I chase after a bunch of preschoolers. For the smile (however imperfect) that I can offer when a tiny human feels sad. For all of these things and more, I will praise my God.
How can the psalms inspire you to express gratitude toward God?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Elizabeth spent the past six years doing life in Nashville, TN…from grad school to working in a pie shop to running after school programs. But then she got a little antsy. She’s currently in a season of “wandering”…exploring the people, tastes and experiences that the country has to offer. As she set out on this journey her hope was to engage with people in more authentic ways and to hike everything possible.