IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS

There is something about the little things in life that make life special and exciting.  There are times in our lives when the exciting and big things really matter and can make or break a day; but for most days it’s the little things that count the most.  Sadly most of us look past the little things and only concentrate on the big things and in doing so we miss out on major blessings.

Take for example, today.  Today was Saturday.  There was nothing extraordinary about today, just another day of life, just a day in the lives of our family.  Yet, looking for small blessings in the little things of today, I can see God’s hand everywhere with little blessings.  

Take this morning for example.  This morning started off as any other morning.  Jacob and I got up at 5:30 for his morning feeding and our serious conversation.  This morning we were joined by Robert who shared his ideas for Christmas gifts this year.  There the three of us were, snuggled in bed and looking at the gifts that Robert wants to give to his children and family to make memories this year.  This was a little thing, but it gave my heart a big blessing.

After we got Jacob back to sleep, Robert and I decided to NOT get up and go back to bed too.  We both slept until 8:30, but the three bigger boys were up by 7:00.  BUT, they did a little thing for us, John Robert and Ethan kept Cole occupied and fixed his breakfast so that we could sleep.  They even turned the coffee pot on for Robert to wake up to a cup of hot coffee.  Nothing out of the ordinary, the boys often keep Cole busy so I can sleep until 8:00 or so in the morning.  Today though, it was a huge blessing to let Robert and I both sleep in.  This is something that we haven’t done together since our St. Augustine trip last year.  Yep, it was another little thing that was a huge blessing.

Now that the whole family was up (Maggie wasn't home yet, she stayed with friends) it was time to get chores started.  Instead of starting the boys off on their chores, Robert decided to take them fishing.  This is not something out of the ordinary, but it was exciting for the boys.  They were bored quickly since the fish weren’t biting, but that didn’t matter.  They came home and all went to work on fixing the chicken coop. Robert, John Robert, Ethan, and even Cole stayed outside together and worked together to fix up the chicken coop.  Nothing extraordinary about this chore, keeping things clean in the chicken coop can be dirty but necessary work!  It was a needed chore that was made even more exciting because the boys were with their Daddy, their hero, a little thing like fishing and cleaning up a chicken coop that made for a big blessing. 

Finally it was time for us to get Maggie from her beach trip that turned into an impromptu slumber party.  Robert waited to go to work so he could pick her up while running his plants.  Nothing extra special about that, he has to work every weekend.  Yet, when Maggie came in she had a little thing for me, a “thank you” for letting her be a teen and have fun.  She brought me some Reese’s peanut butter cups.  A little thing really, just a small gift of thanks that for me is a huge blessing, I love that silly candy.

The Bible tells us in Psalm 118:24 that “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.”  For us, that simple verse describes our day of ordinary little blessings.  There was nothing extra special about today.  It was a Saturday like every other Saturday in our family.  Yet, when we focus on the everyday little blessings, we find that we do have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to rejoice over.  Today was a great day, filled with the little things, and abundantly blessed because it was made for us by God.  In our house, it is the little things!