Let there be light

As you can see, we have this very unstylish and broken light fixture above the dining room table.  (Might as well have shag rugs while we're at it!)  HATE it.  And it's so very not attractive.  Dan and I have very specific tastes about light fixtures and they don't always agree with each other.  But we decided that we would splurge and get a new light fixture.  So we piled the 6 kids into the van and off to Home Depot.  Shockingly, we found one we both liked immediately and even more shocking ... it was in our price range.  How can this possibly go any better?
 
 Now I can officially answer the age old question about how many people it takes to screw in a lightbulb.  The answer is 4.  These boys were all having so much fun running getting tools for Daddy, holding the flashlight, etc.  The project took twice as long this way but boy it was fun.  And in case you're worried about Manny missing out ... he was sitting just behind Jacob in his highchair shining the flashlight in the general direction for Daddy too!

 And now ... I have a cool, stylish, affordable light.  And more importantly, it's brighter than the other one!  Even with the same bulbs.  We can now see what we're eating for dinner. 

Ahhhhh .... and there was light. 

I don't know about you, but it doesn't take much to make me thankful.  On the same trip, we got a toilet seat for the master bathroom and I'm amazed how such a small thing can make such a difference. The old one had a broken hinge and would suddenly (randomly) sometimes sllllliiiiiide off and if that sounds like a fun ride to you, take my word for it ... it's not as much fun as it sounds!  (No, there will not be before and after pictures of the toilet seat!)

The funny thing is ... as soon as one thing gets done, it's human nature to skip right past it and on to the other million things that still need to be done.  Rather than be thankful for the moment.

Why IS that?

Like I was giving Dan a hug for putting up the light.  I was very thankful as we've hated it since we moved in here 5 years ago.  But while I hugged him, one of those "million" other things caught my eye across the room and I was about to say, "Now we have to do x and y".  And I had to STOP myself!

I KNOW better.  And yet my brain still went to the NEXT thing.

So I bit my tongue and just said THANK YOU.

And it reminded me of a post a few weeks ago about people often asking for Prayer requests but rarely follow up by Praise requests.  This is the same thing.  The thing we wanted soooo badly just a few minutes ago is now satisfied and we immediately look to the next thing that is "lacking".

Like the whole way driving to Manny's muscle biopsy I was praying asking for intervention.  Asking for His assistance.  So I figured the same amount of time should be spent on Thanking Him for doing what I asked.  The whole way home I thanked Him for answering the prayers.

What about you??

Just like in the Gore family, we recently said, "Let there be light" and (after an hour or so) There was light.  And we paused do savor the moment.

What has God done for you lately?  What about a friend or family member?  Coworker?  Child?  Did you spend as much time thanking and praising them as you did nagging them to get it done? (I know, I'm preaching.)

As Dale Carnegie says, "Count your blessings, not your troubles."  Good advice.