Putting things in perspective

Friday morning before we left for school, I asked Nathaniel to look at the school lunch menu on the fridge and tell me if he wanted to eat there or to take lunch from home.

He stood at the fridge for a minute, finger on that day's date, mumbling to himself.

Me: "What'll it be, buddy? Lunch from home, or do you want what they're serving at school?"

Nathaniel: "Well, I DEFINITELY want to eat at school, but it's going to be a Really. Tough. Decision."

Me: "What is?"

Nathaniel: "We have two choices today. I can either choose pizza or corn dogs. OH, THIS IS SO HAAAAAARD."

Me: "Well, you love pizza."

Nathaniel: "But we haven't had corn dogs since the beginning of the YEAR. If I had to choose RIGHT NOW, I'd choose a corn dog."

And I stood there thinking, "I am so glad that this is the hardest decision that my child has to make today, that 'pizza' or 'corn dog' is it for the day. He doesn't have worries like, 'Will I get to eat at ALL?' or 'What if there's only enough food for some of the kids, not all of the kids?' "

When I picked him up that evening, I asked him what he chose. He said he chose pizza, because Evan chose pizza and he wanted what Evan had. It was that simple.

There are many, many days on which I forget to be grateful. I forget to give thanks for what we've been given, what we've accomplished, what the Lord has provided for our family. Not today ... today I'm so thankful. And I hope that you have been richly blessed, too.