thank you God...

I had to smile this morning as I was driving into classes and work. Although my oldest son, Xavier no longer rides with me, I remembered a tradition we had as we traveled through Sioux falls to the daycare he attended. We would round the corner off the interstate and he would exclaim that there was the new hotel being built. One day I asked him what he thought a hotel had in it. He said, " chocolate milkshakes." I had to laugh, thinking that quite possibly some of the big hotel restaurants would indeed serve chocolate milkshakes. I told him this and he smiled big and yelled," thank you God, for milkshakes." To which I responded, " Amen." It became a "thing" with us that as we drove on 41st we would see the world taking place around us, that we would shout thank you God, for whatever...signs, school buses, stop lights, mommies, daddies, sons, and daughters, whatever we could think of, we named. At the end of each one we named, the other would shout, " Amen."
I thought of that tradition as I was in the car this morning, with thoughts of impending snow, slow drivers, the early morning commute, a sluggish start to a frenzied day. I thought how much I missed that little 4 year old voice shouting out thanks to God for whatever he sees. I thought about how easy it was for him to thank God, even when I would be frustrated at not having made the green light. I thought, how selfish am I to not give thanks in all that I see, hear, feel, touch, and experience, for in all those moments are opportunities for God to speak and be revealed.
So, thank you God, and for all of them I say, "Amen!"