Happy Naomi

Everyday I thank God for the time I spend together with Naomi. She's only 6 years old, but the impact she has on my life and what she taught me about my parenting skills, about life, about others, and about God, is amazing. She doesn't know it, but I am learning so much through just being with her.

 

Some days she's naughty and cranky, but some days she's just so joyful, happy, cute and bubbly. When she's happy, she sings, and she hums as she goes about doing whatever it is she needs to do. ie. she hums in the shower, she hums as she's colouring in, she hums as she's walking around the house, she just hums. It is so cute. When she's happy, she is very obedient to me. When she's happy, she tells me everything that's happening in her little world. When she's happy, she brings a big smile to my face.

 

Sometimes she even says some really nice things to me. Like for example, when I made her some yummy pancakes with ice cream, she'd say, "Oh wow! Thank you mommy! You are so good mommy! You're good at making sweets and deserts!" (Although that's probably the only thing I know how to make, thanks to the ready made batter!). In the morning when she wakes up next to me, she'd kiss me and give me a nice big smile and closed her eyes again.  Sometimes when I pick her up from school, she gets so exited and so happy, she would shout in front of all the other parents, "Mommy! You pick me up!!!!" OMG I get so embarassed because it becomes obvious then how I just never have the time to pick her up unlike some other mums who would dilligently be at the gate 15 mins before their children finish school.

 

Her love touches my heart. Her happiness brings smile to my face. Her words of encouragement brings tears of joy down my cheek. When she's like that, she's like the best thing that's ever happened to me and I just love her so much!

 

That brings me to my own behaviour and attitude before my heavenly Father. If Naomi's happiness, joy, good behaviour and words of praise and encouragement can bring joy to my heart, how much more can MY happiness, joy, good attitude and words of praise bring joy to the Father's heart?

 

Psalm 69

³⁰ I will praise God's name in song

   and glorify him with thanksgiving.

³¹ This will please the LORD more than an ox,

   more than a bull with its horns and hooves.

 

Through experience, David knew that praising God's name in song and glorifying Him with thanksgiving pleases the Lord more than the animal offerings. More than our good deeds. More than anything else. When we sing praises and proclaims His glorious name, it brings pleasure to His heart, it brings a smile to His face.

 

I guess that's why when Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, their songs of praise opened up all the prison doors and broke everyone's chains!

 Acts 16:16-40 - check out the story.

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose.

 

 I guess that's also how King Jehoshaphat manage to win his battle without even fighting or sacrificing a live of his people:

 

2 Chronicles 20

²² As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

 

One of the thing I love about going to church is our time of worship. I dont think I can describe the feeling I get from simply declaring His goodness, His greatness and His awesomeness (if there's such word). It's like nothing can describe how great and mighty He is, yet how so full of love and compassion He is. I really don't care who's looking at me, or what they're thinking, or how I am perceived. I love immersing myself in His presence and I know that it brings smile to His face. So why care about what others think? Who am I trying to please? Who are YOU trying to please?

 

Every Sunday I see people standing with their arms folded, watching the worship leaders on the stage like they're not interested. I have no idea what's going on inside their head, but I just don't understand how people can just do that. I dont understand how they can NOT praise and thank God for what He's done in our lives. For the air that we breathe, for our family, for our well being, for our health, for our lives, and for His faithfulness. People who call themselves Christians, follower of Christ, church-goers. I don't quite understand their relationship with God, their father. Does it even exist?

 

As usual, it is easier said than done, but I challenge myself to always delight myself and be joyful in Him. Give Him praises and thanksgiving, to always set everything aside when it comes to worship time and bring a smile to His face. If Naomi can bring a smile to my face, how much more does God take pleasure in our praises?