There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you. Deuteronomy 12:7
The 2016 Olympics are in full swing and the competitions are fierce. The boys are fascinated by all of it, but of course my warriors will make a competition out of just about anything. If you want a boy to excel, give them competition and some excitement. Noise and danger only add to the fun! This starts when they are very young. If you want a little one to eat their vegetables, tell them you’ll eat yours first. If you want toys picked up, set a timer and watch them go!
What about when they win? These boys sure can celebrate! We were taking advantage of a program the rangers were having at Assateague National Seashore where we were learning about the environment by kayak. My youngest and husband were in one kayak, while my oldest was with me. We were talking with a ranger as we were heading back to the beach. We couldn’t quite figure out what was going on when my hubby and son went flying past us on their kayak. The ranger started laughing and informed us that she thought they were trying to beat us. We were in a race and didn’t even know it! It didn’t matter to them that we weren’t even participating. They were having quite the celebration for their “win” back at the beach!
How often do we forget to celebrate our successes because we are already looking ahead to the next thing? How many times do we forget to rejoice with our spouses, our kids, our family, and our friends for their successes?
In the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15:3-10, the shepherd found that lost sheep and didn’t just go about his work again. He called his friends and neighbors together telling them to rejoice with him. I think this is really important. It helps us mark and remember the good things God has done for us. It’s like a gratitude journal in action!
God has provided all that we have and all the talents He gave us. When we aren’t rejoicing for those things, it isn’t necessarily being humble. We are actually not showing our appreciation. We are simply not giving glory to God! Why do we act like Eeyore when we should be celebrating like Tigger would? We need to rejoice in the small things as well as the big!
Whether you’re winning a gold medal at the Olympics or celebrating a competition that only you know about, the way you celebrate is your choice. Will you celebrate your gratitude? Will you make someone’s day by joining them in rejoicing? Are you going to be Eeyore or Tigger today? It’s up to you!
