When my granddaughter Emma was nine, she loved playing on my treadmill, but I rarely let her do it because she was too small to handle it safely. One afternoon she asked me if I enjoyed it as much as she did.
“No,” I told her honestly, “I just use it for exercise.”
With wisdom beyond her nine years, she asked, “Why are things fun when we're too young to do them, but not fun when we're old enough?”
Ah! From the mouth of babes.
Children know how to enjoy simple things. They can play with an old box all day long and get excited by a bug on the sidewalk.
What happens as we age? We tend to get overwhelmed by life's responsibilities and forget about the simple pleasures of life.
So let's be “childlike” today—praying instead of worrying and finding joy and gratitude in simple circumstances (Philippians 4:4-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
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If you own Wisdom for Life, read or re-read Day 85 for some additional insights about children - specifically about babies.
Bible Love Notes
Hi Gail, ouch, I have not been enjoying my life the last week. And yes, its time to focus on all that God has blessed me with and how grateful I am. Needed to hear this.
ReplyDeleteGod bless
Tracy
I always write things I need to hear myself, Tracy. I also need to enjoy God more.
DeleteAmen! I absolutely believe "play" helps keep us healthy, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Yay for play! :) This post reminds me of Romans 8:15, from The Message, a passage that has become part of my heartbeat: "This resurrection life you have received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a child-like, 'What's next, Papa?'" Thank you, Gail, for another encouraging, though-provoking and motivating post!
ReplyDeleteI love that passage in the Message. Thanks for sharing it, Kim.
DeleteGood morning, Gail. Thanks for the reminder to be thankful and rejoice. What a comparison between children and adults!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking time to comment, Judith. Bless you, Gail
DeleteLove this!!!! :) May it be a day abundant in enjoying the simplest of pleasures provided by our great God!
ReplyDeleteAmen! : )
DeleteOh wow, you hit the nail on the head with this one.
ReplyDeleteSo true! that's one thing I love about my 3 and 5 year old - they 'force' me to play. I also go to a fitness class (Christ-centered, called Revelation Wellness) and in every class, at the end, the instructor makes us 'play' - it's so fun to see 30 grown men and women chasing each other like kids on a playground or trying to keep a balloon off the ground with only their heads. It's fun and reminds me to make time to play!
ReplyDeleteSo true! Thanks for sharing this reminder with Thrive @ Home!
ReplyDeleteahh yes, so true! My kids used to love to vacuum when they were little, now it's part of their chores and they HATE it, but I guess I am the same when with a lot of things too. Things lose their nostalgia quickly.
ReplyDeleteIt is so true! Surely we are made to have faith like a child... & enjoy & laugh like children! love this. thank you for sharing with heart+home!
ReplyDeleteblessings,
lauren
Things are definitely more fun when you make them into a game or like play. I need to do that with the laundry, but I haven't figured out how yet. Thanks for sharing at Mom's Library!
ReplyDelete