A change in Perspective

I don't often comment on the "cute" and "sweet" things that kids do, it is not really my thing.  I might mention the funny things occasionally, but not too much more than that.  There is, however, every once in a while, where my kids say something rather simple and yet profound.  They are the kind of things that make me stop and think and to readjust priorities and perspective.  Monday afternoon was one of those times.
On Monday I made a 2 hour trip to Colborne Ontario in order to take my pedal steel guitar to the only repair guy I could find in all of Ontario.  Coloborne is east of Toronto, out past Oshawa and Bowmanville, two towns in which I have family.  I arranged to drop off the instrument at 12:00pm and then made plans to stop and visit each of my grandparents on the way back.   As I was leaving, I offered to take my youngest daughter with me partly to have the company and partly to to give my wife and other children some uninterrupted time for school.  We made the long trip out during which my daughter, finding a set of sermon notes from the day before, realized that her developing reading skills meant she could now read passages of scripture.  We have now both memorized John 13:34-35 to the extent that I doubt either of us will ever forget it.  Although cool in and of itself, that is not actually the moment I meant to write about.  That moment came a bit later, after we had visited over lunch with my Grandmother in Bowmanville.  My Grandmother lives in a small subdivision that is right on lake Ontario and is surrounded by some undeveloped land.  As we were driving slowly through the neighbourhood, we came across a small red fox sitting in the middle of the street.  As we approached, the fox slowly got up and walked away allowing us a very clear view.  As the fox drifted out of sight, my daughter exclaimed:

"That was a very special privilege that God gave me, to see that fox.  And you too daddy!"

I have no idea where she learned a phrase like that but she is right, it was a privilege that God gave us.  It has been a reminder to me to both recognize and celebrate the small things and not to just let them go by.  It has also been a reminder to recognize and celebrate the source of those privileges - an active, living and sovereign God.  And this is worship, to be intentional about recognizing God's presence, activity, and revelation and to respond appropriately.