Keys For Kids Devotional: Count Your BlessingsSample

THE PRAISE DAY

"What's all the racket about?" Mom came out of her office and stood in the doorway of the living room. "You two have done nothing but fight and complain all day." 

Christian and Bria glared at each other silently.

"Praise the Lord!" Mom suddenly shouted. Christian and Bria jumped in surprise. Mom smiled as the kids looked at her curiously. "You were yelling and complaining in loud voices, so I thought I'd praise the Lord in an equally loud voice." She raised her voice again. "I'm thankful for the rain, aren't you? It's been so dry lately!" 

"But Mom, when it rains, there's nothing to do," Christian said.

"I have an idea." Mom went into her office and came back out with paper and pencils. "Why don't you make a praise list by writing down all the wonderful things God has done for us? Let's have a praise day instead of a complaining day. Now, I have some work to finish up, but you can show me your lists before dinner tonight." 

Christian sighed as Mom went back into her office and shut the door. After a moment, he wrote, "God helped me get my homework done." 

Bria took a sheet of paper and wrote, "God gives us food every day."

After working a little while, Christian said, "Hey, let's tape our pages together to make one long sheet. Let's see how long a list we can make." The list was still growing when Dad got home. 

"How was your day?" Mom asked him as she pulled a chicken pot pie out of the oven.

"Terrible," he said. "First, the rain got my clothes all wet, and then--"

"Praise the Lord!" Christian shouted. Dad looked startled, and Christian grinned. "Mom says this should be a praise day." 

"Come on, Dad," said Bria. "Praise the Lord for something. We'll add it to our list."

"Well, I praise the Lord for creating your mom," Dad said with a grin. "I love her, and she teaches us to count our blessings--and blesses us with good food for dinner!"

Mom smiled. "And I praise the Lord for the best thing of all--dying on the cross for our sins!" 

– Carol A. DeCesare

HOW ABOUT YOU?

Do you complain when things don’t go your way? Sometimes difficult things happen that you need to talk about with someone, but there’s a difference between sharing struggles and complaining about everything you don’t like. Instead of complaining, look for the good things God has blessed you with and the people He’s put in your life—and most importantly, how He’s given you eternal life through Jesus!

KEY VERSE

Let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God…giving thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15, NKJV)

TODAY'S KEY

Praise instead of complaining.