"Mom, for lunch I want something special. Like when I'm bored .... so I clean my room .... and to surprise me you make me a sandwich shaped like a butterfly. Only I want one of those cheesy pizza things with only cheese ... and bread shaped like a dog."
And as she waxes eloquent in her 6-year-old-stream-of-consciousness way about special animal shaped lunches, my brain is scrambling to recall such a monumental event as her cleaning her room out of boredom. Not to mention me creating a butterfly-shaped sandwich!
Later I'm cookie cutter-ing doggies and teddy bears into cheesy flatbread, congratulating myself on my cool mom moment and bemoaning the fact no one is there to appreciate my awesomeness. How many amazing mom moments go by, day in and day out, that receive no thanks, let alone accolades or Employee of the Month awards! Not that I want a spotlight on me because my parenting skills fall flat more often than not, but sometimes just a simple thank you would be nice.
.... sometimes just a simple thank you would be nice. Hmmm. I wonder if God ever thinks that about me. Because my kids' tendency to take me for granted resembles my own attitude toward my Father .... my excited receipt of the goodness and blessings, a hurried "thanks" and on to the next thing. No time taken to dwell on the Giver or consider the depth of love that compelled the gift.
Today, I run a bath for a boy with a stomach ache, give some ginger ale, say a prayer. Feeling better later, he finds me. "I love you so much, Mom. I try to thank you ... but ... it's just too big ... I don't know what to say." And I smile because I know the feeling of a heart overflowing with gratitude, awakened to how much I have to be thankful for.
