Gratitude Makes God Real Every Day

Mahalo. Gracias. Danke. Grazie. Merci. Thank you. There are so many ways to say thank you, and even more ways to show gratitude. Gratitude is a big part of what we do to show others we care. But how often do we show gratitude to God, the One who gave us so many awe-inspiring and wonderful things? In the story found in Luke 17: 11-19, we find ten men with leprosy searching out Jesus as he walks the road to Jerusalem. They are hoping that Jesus will have mercy upon them and heal them so they may continue home to their loved ones and neighbors. And, probably to their amazement, Jesus heals them and sends them to be declared clean. This was more than just a plea for healing. The disease they had wasn’t just a physical ailment, it took them away from their families, friends, jobs, and essentially their lives. Then one of the men returned and “praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.”

This man had just gotten his life back. Of course he would go back and thank Jesus some might say, “It’s the least he can do, I would do the same thing.” But only one of ten came back, and he was the Samaritan, the non-neighbor. Nine out of ten went on their way. Maybe one was late for a meeting. Maybe another just had to get to the bakery before it closed to pick up the cake for dinner. Maybe one was just so tired he just needed to go lie down. We don’t know. What we do know is that they didn’t show the same gratitude that the Samaritan did.

Where do fit in this story? Sure it’s easy to say, of course I would thank God. But do we show gratitude often and joyfully enough? Yesterday I had the tread of a tire come off while driving down I-40 in a construction zone. Thankfully a construction worker stopped, looked at the problem, told me about a tire shop at the next exit and then followed me to make sure I got there safe, you can bet I was praying to God I would make it through. And when I did, I gave a long prayer of thanks as I drove the rest of the way home. But what about the not-so-life-threatening moments, do we stop and show gratitude in the every day? The little God moments that happen every day are just as important to God. Each and every day is a day of gratitude, so let’s sing His praises.

Wonder Makes God Real Every Day - Psalm 8

"I wonder who else is going to be in my group at camp.” “I wonder what group I will be in.” “I wonder who my counselors are going to be.” “I wonder what we’ll do at camp.” Are you hearing any of these thoughts being uttered as summer camp nears? The first day of camp is all about wonder. Wonder is a great thing, it is exciting and amazing, but it can also be scary, as we try to wrap our minds around something unfamiliar. In Psalm 8, the first day of camp’s scripture talks about the wonder of the night sky and the incredible creation God has put around us. The author then goes on to consider the fact that God then gave all of this wondrous creation to man to care for. Some might wonder why in the world He would do this.

Many years ago, I was a summer staff member at Dwight Mission, and like all staff members and campers, I would go outside in the mornings for morning watch and take some time in the morning to be with God. I don’t think I have felt a sense of wonder more than these moments. One time I got to watch a mole digging a tunnel towards the sidewalk, and then poke its head out of the hole as I am sure it was frustrated as to why it could no longer move forward. Another time I saw a little ant, carrying something on its way to the colony. The more I watched the ant zoom up and down the cracks and fissures in the side walk, the more I started thinking about how amazingly wondrous this little creature was. I started putting what the ant was doing into scale for me, and well, I don’t think I will be scaling any 10-12 foot walls within two seconds any time soon. And then I start to think that if God can spend time working on a tiny little ant, one small little piece of this enormous earth, and perfect it to what it is today, I can’t even imagine how much time and love He spends on us, His caretakers of this awesome creation before us. That is immense. That makes me wonder.

I am sure you have your own ‘thing’ that makes you wonder. It might be the Redwood forest, the stars in the night sky, the currents in the ocean, or the wind that blows across the plains. All of these things are wonderful and awe-inspiring. Dwight is a great place to really wonder and awe at God’s creation. The scenery is breathtaking, the wildlife abundant, and at night, when the sky is cloudless, you can really see the stars. One big part of Psalm 8 is praise. The author praises God for the wonder and amazement of His vast love. Do we take the time to teach our children to wonder and praise God for His unfailing love? Can this happen in your own backyard? At school? At camp we will talk about how God is real EVERY day, and how we can wonder and praise God all the time, not just in church or at camp. Ask your child if they have ever felt a sense of wonder. Talk to them about the things that amaze them. Then talk to them about what it means to be caretakers of these amazing and wonderful things. Then say a prayer together praising God. You can even say Psalm 8 as your prayer. And remember to take some time to really look at what God has done for us each day, and think about what He asks of us in return.

Dog (Dog), Dog Cat (Dog, Cat), Dog Cat Moose (Dog, Cat, Moose), Froggy! Think you know Dwight’s Top 10 Songs? Check out the list we compiled here (not necessarily in any order)

The Benediction Song

Amazing Grace/Jesus Loves Me Dwight Style

Sanctuary

The Golden Broom Award

One Tin Soldier

Light the Fire

Rise and Shine

Prince of Peace

Pass It On

Buzzard/Turkey Bird Song

The Return is coming! Just a few more weeks and we'll be singing for the return...

Elizabeth Sharp

Summer Camp Reading List

Dwight Mission is not just a place to play games and sing songs, it is so much more, it is a place where kids can be themselves, learn important life lessons about themselves and others, and most importantly, it is a place where everyone involved can grown in their relationship with God. Over the next few weeks, I will be posting blogs that go over the scripture verses the kids will be reading, as well as questions you can ask your child after camp to continue their growth. The more they are able to talk about these things with family members, church members, camp counselors, and friends, the more they will see that these are things in the world around them, and not just on Sundays. If you ever have any questions about any of these scriptures, I am sure your local pastor would love to go over these scriptures with you, and you can always give me a call at camp.

This year, our theme is ‘Keeping it Real.’ We will be discussing what ways God shows Himself in everyday situations. Campers will look for God as Maker of creation, in moments of gratitude, in strangers, in the church, in moments of worship, and in our prayers and acts of mercy for others in Christ’s name. All of these things can be found in the everyday, ordinary moments of life. Campers will also not just look for where they see God in these things, but they will also experience how people respond to God in these everyday instances. Below you will find the Daily theme and scripture to go along with that theme. In the weeks that follow, there will be a blog post dedicated to each daily theme.

Wonder Makes God Real Every Day (Sunday) Psalm 8

Gratitude Makes God Real Every Day (Monday) Luke 17:11-19

Hospitality Makes God Real Every Day (Tuesday) Luke 24: 13-35

Generosity Makes God Real Every Day (Wednesday) 1 Corinthians 12:1-26

Worship Makes God Real Every Day (Thursday) Psalm 96

Living in Christ’s Love Makes God Real Every Day (Friday) John 15:1-17

As campers and staff live and play together over the summer, they will see these everyday acts and see how God is constantly and lovingly present in our lives. We hope that you will take some time to read through these posts and then go back to your children and talk with them after their camp experience. Going to camp, and being in this community should not be just a summer thing. It is a year round thing. Campers will be challenged to see these everyday moments in their lives at school, at home, at church and other places while at camp, but that is as far as our summer staff can go. And that is where the parents, grandparents, siblings, youth directors, and other mentors in the lives of our campers play a role. We are all involved in this together, and together, we will make this summer great!

On another note, mail call has always been a fun time for those at Dwight Mission. Last year we offered camper emails and we are doing it again this summer. The link to this can be found on our website under summer camp, just click on the flashing button that says camper email. The return is coming, May 28. Are you Ready?

Elizabeth