STARS, SMILEYS AND WARNINGS

Ryan, our 6 year old, got home the other day after school very excited.

RYAN: “Mom, I got 14 smiley faces and 8 stars!”

MOM: “Did you get any warnings?”

RYAN: “One…”

MOM: “You got one!” (a bit upset)

RYAN: “Mom, at least I got 14 smiley faces!”

Oo nga naman.

Then Jenn texts me that Ryan got 14 smiley faces from school. I quickly call her cellphone.

PAOLO: “Wow, Ryan got 14 smiley faces? Did he get any warnings?”

JENN: “Yes, one.”

PAOLO: “One!!!!! Argghhh…” (upset)

JENN: “Well, remember, he got 14 smiley faces.”

PAOLO: “Nga naman.”

How easy for us as parents to focus on the one negative comparing it to the 8 stars and 14 smiley faces.

That’s true with parents and that’s true with everyone of us. Facing a white wall, the easiest thing to do is to see the small dot of dirt rather than appreciating the full wall painted white.

Lord, help us appreciate the little things …. even turning disasters into praise worthy efforts.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up… (1 Thes. 5:11)