Ben Milstead

A few weeks ago I stopped by the grocery store before picking the boys up from school.  The kids love orange Tic Tacs so I grabbed a couple of packs.  I went on to the school to get them and we started our normal conversation.  ”How was your day? - Fine.  What did you learn today? - Nothing.  Did you get in trouble? - I don’t think so.”  I gave them both the small gift expecting praises to Daddy and excitement, etc.  NOTHING!  Not even a glance.  Not a pause in their conversation.  Not even a little ole ”thank you”.  So I calmly pulled the car over, got out, opened the back door, and made both of them hand over the Tic Tac’s.   I closed the door and walked back around to the driver’s side.  As I got in the car I was greeted with “Thank you….thank you Daddy…..can we have them back?”

My kids will never see those Tic Tacs again because I felt like I needed to make a point they wouldn’t forget.  All I wanted was a simple thank you or even an acknowledgment that I had given them a gift.

Last week  I read 1 Chronicles 16:8: Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what He has done.  I was reminded of the point I had made with my kids the week before.  What if God did to us what I did to my kids when we don’t say thank you?  I give thanks for the big gifts but what about the everyday gifts that He gives us?  It hurt when my kids didn’t acknowledge my gift even though it was something small.  I can only imagine how God feels when we take so many things for granted.