Good Gifts

On Wednesday nights, I have been helping out in the preschool class at church. Oh, are they adorable! It makes me look forward to hearing Micah's little voice and thoughts one day.

There is one little girl who is just cute-as-can-be. Her smile is contagious and she is always happy and excited about anything we do.

Whenever the teacher tells her we are going to do anything, her usual response is, "I LOVE" whatever we are about to do, followed by the cutest little laugh, of pure joy.

Seriously, WHATEVER we are about to.

Teacher: Okay class, let's color our pictures.
Little girl: Yay, I LOVE coloring!!

Teacher: Okay class, let's play follow the leader.
Little girl: Yay, I LOVE follow the leader!!

Teacher: Okay, class, let's cut out our pictures.
Little girl: Yay, I LOVE cutting our pictures!

And my personal favorite...

Teacher: Class, we are going to stay with the bigger kids tonight for class.
Little girl: The bigger kids? The ones who are taller than me?
Teacher: Yes.
Little girl: I LOVE having class with kids who are taller than me!!

My mom says the little girl reminds her of me when I was little....I know what she means. I used to and still can get really excited about things. Mom used to say I was like Tigger because I was always bouncing excitedly all over the place.  As I have grown up, however, I find myself slipping more and more into Eeyore world at times, where it is easier to see the glass half empty.

I don't want to live there. I know that this is not my permanent home, and that when I get to heaven one day, the glass will always be not just half full, but completely running over, and overflowing, but I also know that God gives us good gifts now, here on earth and I don't want to overlook them.

Psalms tells us that "he leads us to green pastures" and James says that our "good gifts are from above coming down from the Father of heavenly lights", and yet I am so apt to forget that The One who made the stars cares enough to provide me with everything I need and even the "desires of my heart".

So as I begin to bring up my little boy, I am determined to return to Tigger world and show Micah that I am thankful for not just the big things in my life, but all the little things too....

chubby-cheeked baby kisses

hot coffee on cold mornings

a warm fire in the fireplace

a good conversation with my mom

afternoon sunlight in the fall

pumpkin flavored foods

hugs from my husband

delicious dinners

inquisitive students

family

....because at the end of the day, the little things add up to be big things.  I want to LOVE the gifts, big and small, that God places in my life. Like the little girl at church, I want to always find joy in this life, in the One who created it, and in his gifts to us.