TAKING A CUE FROM TRIG

“A little child shall lead them….”

Sarah Palin's youngest child, Down Syndrome boy Trig, is 4 years old. I heard that every morning when he wakes he pulls himself up in his crib, rubs the sleep out of his eyes, grins, and then welcomes the day by clapping his hands and laughing. He looks around at God’s creation and his own world and although he can’t speak intelligibly, the precious little guy applauds as if to say, “Okay, world, what do you have for me today?”

Isn’t that a better example than dragging ourselves out of bed grumbling and complaining with dread to face another day of either boredom or a rat race of activity? Let’s applaud the immense blessing of having enough strength to swing our feet out of bed, put them on the floor, and walk!

To greet the day by applauding God—what a great idea no matter what our chronological age or circumstances! God gives us each fresh new day of life and invites us to live for Him whatever our limitations, and then He gives us the strength and wisdom to do it.

I decided to make applauding the Lord a part of my morning offering—and I started today! First, as is my lifelong habit, I present (offer, surrender) myself to the Lord according to Romans 12:1, 2. I ask, “What do you have for me today, Heavenly Father? I want to be Your obedient child.” Then I anticipate the serendipities He has planned for me and applaud His goodness and mercy which He promised would follow me all the days of my life, if I follow Him!

Is applauding the Lord a foolish and childish gesture at my age of 87? No, but it’s childlike, since I will always be Jesus’ little child. He told us in the Scriptures that that’s the way He wants us to approach Him if we are to receive the Kingdom of God. I just might sing that classic children’s song for His pleasure too! "Jesus loves me, this I know…Little ones to Him belong; they (yes, me too, Lord!) are weak but He is strong.” 

When I head out the door to experience the freshness and uniqueness of every season and notice what spectacular things God continues to do in nature through the ages, I have the urge to applaud Him again.

        So let’s CELEBRATE/APPLAUD each day as a gift from our loving Lord!