Every so often my son leaves a cute little note after he eats his served breakfast. Sometimes it’s on a Post-it note, sometimes a napkin, and a few times just a torn corner of lined paper from those spirals.
Either way, I cherish and save them in scrapbook boxes or files. As I was cleaning up the kitchen today, I thought about what I’m ‘most thankful for’ regarding my son. Now I acknowledge that most, including myself, would say good health. Without a doubt, good health exceeds the blessing of wealth, as there is no price tag too high for good health. There is probably nothing harder to watch than a child who suffers health problems.
However, if I put the gift of ‘good health’ aside, I then admit I’m most grateful that my son “shows thankfulness”. Trust me, he’s a typical 9-year-old boy and doesn’t show this every day. Yet, I know deep down within the foundation of his character, some seeds, now with tiny roots have sprouted. These roots have the trait of “thankfulness” and that warms my heart.
For you see, any other traits and gifts are just ‘butter on the bread’ or worse, prove false and hollow without the foundation of thankfulness.
For example, take “good looks”. If society deems a child as ‘handsome or pretty’, one car accident can eliminate that. It may seem morbid, but it’s true. Natural aging aside, looks do not last. We must train our children early to seek and desire gifts beyond the face or shell.
If a child is naturally bright or smart, great. But he can become arrogant and prideful which will set him up for a fall. Moreover, intelligence doesn’t automatically translate into wisdom. If the child’s a great athlete – that’s awesome and fun at times; however, he/she can become cocky, overly competitive, mean-spirited and again, setting him/herself for an inevitable humbling. (I know this all too well).
That is why I believe “thankfulness” keeps a child on the firm and solid path.
And so I tell my son often, “I don’t care if you get straight A’s, become a great athlete, director, continue on with your acting, or become a respected doctor…(the list goes on and on), none of it matters if your heart is unkind and if you are not thankful.”
None of it.
Thankfully, thus far, I think he’s getting it.
Note: my future goals do include him loading and unloading the dishwasher.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6
Fashion Stories & Dirty Laundry 