“Some days you’ll need a loaves and fishes miracle, other days it will be enough to see a flower in the crack of the sidewalk.”
-Susie Larson
I’ve been reading a book I received from my friends at Hearts at Home. It was written by Susie Larson called Growing Grateful Kids. When I saw this quote of hers, I couldn’t help but think of Tuesdays. This is the day we focus on celebrating the small in the midst of the ordinary, embrace the little things that make up the everyday and notice the flowers in the cracks. This is the tagline for her book: Teaching them to appreciate an extraordinary God in ordinary places. I haven’t finished reading it yet, but so far I have appreciated her perspective on cultivating thankfulness in the hearts of our children.
One thing she repeats throughout the book is that “we cannot impart something we do not possess.” To teach gratefulness, we must first experience it ourselves. And to experience a thankful heart, we have to first notice the gifts and receive them as such. So let’s practice. I look forward to reading your own posts on celebrating the gifts in the midst of the ordinary.
That is so amazing! I just wrote a post on how blessed I feel for something as simple as my “nest” at my house…my special seat on our couch! It is so important to remember how blessed we are with the little things all around us! So cool to be on the same wave today! God bless you!!
My post, too, is about teaching my children to appreciate and share what they have!
Thanks for this!
I don’t have any kids to impart wisdom to yet, but I’m definitely storing your wisdom in my brain! I love those days when God so sweetly provides us with eyes to seek and see everyday beauty, and a grateful heart to soak it in and appreciate it. It’s so great that our Father provides hope, depth, and purpose in the seemingly mundane.
Yes, let’s practice! And thanks for all the time you put in to provide us with a spot to practice together!
oh that quote brings tears to my eyes… truth spoken. the book sounds great… because who couldn’t use a sighting of our extraordinary God! i’ll have to seek it out!
i’m constantly trying to instill appreciation and gratitude in my children. something that this new generation has a harder time understanding {i think}. we recently started a gratitude journal at night … most of the time they’ll list off the “generic” things they’re thankful for and i try to twist the though process by asking “what has God done for you today that you’re grateful for?”
i’m heading over to amazon to pick up the book … thank you!
Happy Tuesday…
I wish I had a special moment to unwrap with you this week. Alas, I do not. . . but after reading your post I’ll reflect on the moments that are surely there, just unheralded.
Whew! That quotation from your big really hit home for me, especially since it uses the word “impart.” A reminder that I need to reflect on the grace I’ve been given, if I hope to impart grace to others. Thank you for sharing that little tidbit.
Now off to look for flowers in the cracks of some online sidewalks. . . .
Love that quote…
Beautiful photo!
My link is about a spring afternoon when I shut the computer and enjoyed the outside with my kids.
First time I used the picture link up!
Beautiful post. I have always tried to instill in my daughter the habit of looking at her surroundings and appreciating the beautiful flowers, the cows grazing, rain puddles, interesting colors and combinations found in nature…the list goes on and on. At age 22 now I am not sure any of that worked until she paints me a lovely picture of the garden or smiles at little kids while they are playing. Somewhere I think it worked. It is a lifelong process that often needs prodding but one worth the effort. Regarding change….YUCK!
So very true. Happy Tuesday!
this very idea is incredibly overwhelming… Not the being grateful, but the idea that my child ever could be. Perhaps I should look into that book…
i’m loving the tagline of that book. we, too, are attempting to cultivate gratefulness (and tenderness and active compassion and humility) in our children. on the days when this seems impossible, i realize (as your book points out) that much of the problem is my children’s lack of an adequate role model. always an ouch moment for me, but a needed one.
Sounds like a great book, and I love that quote!
had so much fun this morning. i think just sitting by your computer was inspiration enough to do a tuesday post. love you.
I used to attend the small church that Susie Larson and her family attended. Not only does she have relevant messages for believers, she is a sincere and transparent woman. Reading your post today made me think of her and brought a smile to my face. Her new book sounds worth a read!
What a funny coincidence – I just went to the Hearts at Home conference last weekend and was able to hear Susie Larson speak on this exact topic. She was amazing and full of wonderful points – I took a ton of notes and bought the book right there as I was listening to her on my Nook. I have been so much more aware of expressing my own gratitude for what God has given us today – a beautiful day, a flower popping up from the ground, a “milkshake stop”. It all matters.
This post really spoke to my spirit today. We must be living examples in all things — gratitude, love, kindness. Wow. Thank you. Without writing a novel, because I feel like I could, I just want to say I really feel like the Lord spoke through you today. Time for some evaluation and change.
While I do love a good fishes-and-loaves miracle, these days I’m getting to a place where the flowers in the cracks are enough. It’s a comfortable place to be, and I’m enjoying it here.
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how to teach my children to be grateful and content. Then it hit me that I’m still learning that. I’m going to have to pick up that book!