Through A Child's Eyes

English: fireworks seen across the at Washington, D.C., USA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fourth of July celebrations here in South Florida usually involve barbecues, picnics on the beach and, of course, watching the fireworks at night. This year, with all the rain we've been having, barbecues and picnics were out of the question. And when night came, we had to be content with trying to get glimpses of the fireworks from our patio.

Still, that didn't stop my five-year-old granddaughter from enjoying the display. Every time the fireworks burst into view, she would clap her little hands and say, "I love fourth of July." Her excitement was infectious, and helped to improve our mood that had been dampened by the dreary weather.

How easy it is for us adults to become dulled by the vicissitudes of life! Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and even Christmas have become occasions to just take a break from our normal routine, and little else. Can we look at a sunset, a beautiful flower or a newborn baby without feeling in awe of its Creator? If the answer is yes, then we need to take another look at ourselves, our values and our relationship with the God of the universe.

Jesus said,  "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted , and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18: 3). On another occasion He said, "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (19: 14).

We are to become as little children. What does that mean? I think it means we must maintain our sense of awe and wonder at who God is and all that He has done for us. We must have that same childlike faith and trust that children have in their parents.  Many of us have become bitter, cynical and disenchanted with life. Nothing gets us excited anymore. Notice how a child runs to her parent with joy and excitement each time the parent comes home or picks her up from school. We are to run to our Maker in the same way. If we have lost that joy, let's ask God to "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit" (Psalm 51: 12).

A Month Of Thankfulness - My Family, God's Intervention and other things

English: Personal bible study Português: Estudo pessoal da bíblia Italiano: Lo studio personale della bibbia Deutsch: Persönliches Bibelstudium (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The weather continues to be a major cause of concern in the US this month. Unusually cold temperatures and snowstorms have resulted in the loss of lives, power outages and a lot of problems for people in some states. In the light of that, our one cold day here in South Florida this week, 48 degrees at daybreak, was a welcome change. But we have had to deal with some rain almost everyday.

You may have heard the saying, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." Well, that may have been the case with me this week. I'd been putting off going to Bible Study on Wednesday nights on account of the distance I have to travel to get home after work, and I don't do well with night driving. This Wednesday I determined that nothing was going to stop me.

It rained all day but I was still determined to go. After work, I went to my daughter's house to wait until it was time to leave for Bible Study. She and her husband said to me, "Mummy, we don't like the idea of you going out on a night like this. It's going to be late when you're leaving church and the weather is not nice." And so they convinced me to go home instead.

So why am I writing this in a month of thankfulness? As I was leaving, my daughter went into her bedroom and came back out with some sheets of paper. She said a friend had given her a Bible-reading plan for the year and she had begun to follow it. She said she uses it because she can't make it to Bible Study at her church because of her family commitments. Therefore her Bible Study time is after she drops her kids off to school and before she leaves for work.

I was ecstatic. I had no idea my daughter had been studying her Bible even though I have seen God working in her life this past year. She has been witnessing to people about Jesus Christ, inviting them to church, and last year she and a friend were baptized on the same day. Isn't God wonderful? My two younger sons are not yet saved, but I believe that what God did for my daughter He will do for them as well. In His time.

So this week I am thankful for my family and God's intervention in our lives. What are you thankful for?

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