"A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face;
a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day. "
A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.
from Proverbs 15:13 and 17:22 ~ The Message
Photo by Kayla Farmer for Unsplash
Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say Grace. As we bow our heads, he said, “God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I will even thank you more if mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And liberty and justice for all! Amen! “
Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard a woman remark, “that’s what’s wrong with this country. Kids they don’t even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!”
Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, “did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me? And “as I held him assured him that he had done a terrific job, and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table.
He winked at my son and said, “I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer.” “Really?" My son asked. “Crossed my heart.” Then in a theatrical whisper, he added, indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing, “too bad she never asked God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."
Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the mill. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something. I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his Sunday, and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman.
With a big smile, he told her, “Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes, and my soul is good already." (copied)
photo by Getty Images on Unsplash