Started with a milkshake: Gratitude to God

When my son Joshua was 9 (he is now 28) he had to learn a lesson that almost 20 years later God would use to bring him to a point of unending gratitude for the Lover of his soul. I gave birth to Joshua when I was only 19 and was divorced when he was still a baby. So Joshua and I literally grew up together. And I didn't get saved until he was 22. I lived my life and raised my son as a very sinful, wicked woman far from God. I will be posting, I'm pretty sure, about those things in the future. So far I just get on my face before starting to write, and ask God what He wants to say through me that day. So today it's about gratitude. There will be other days to tell of all the ways that I am a new creation in Christ Jesus!! (2 Cor. 5:17) Hallelujah! But today it is about having a grateful heart. My son has given his blessing on anything the Holy Spirit leads me to write concerning him. Joshua only wants anything and everything about his life to point to the Savior, and how gracious and merciful He is to him. Joshua and I have, over the last several days, had tender conversations about God's perfect goodness and grace in our lives. So here's the story. It's a good one.
I didn't have a lot of money raising my son. We were always on a tight budget. This was before my gambling addiction (yes, gambling addiction) when we had to count every penny because I didn't earn very much. One day I decided that we needed a treat so we went to Baskin Robbins for a milkshake. I ordered us both medium milkshakes(probably pralines & cream and cookies & cream, for those who instantly wondered). My normally sweet and thankful child was not at all pleased with my choice of sizes. And it must have been something above and beyond a little glimpse of disappointment for me to react the way I did. I didn't give him his milkshake. I held onto it all the way home and when we got there he watched in horror as I poured the whole thing down the drain. The hurt in his little eyes pierced me deeply, deep, deep down in my soul. So much so that I still remember how my heart hurt so bad seeing his pain. But that didn't deter me from sticking to my guns. My child that I loved so much had to be taught a lesson on gratitude. He wasn't mad at me, not in the least, he was hurt. I've never forgotten that pain on his face and apparently he never forgot the feeling, or the lesson.
Fast forward 20 years. His heavenly Father has been so very gracious to him, giving him exceeding abundantly more than he could ever ask or imagine(Ephesians 3:20) more than he could ever deserve, for he, like all of us, are so unworthy of such a great and perfect love. (read John 3:16) God has been growing Joshua in the grace and knowledge of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:17-18) God is making him into a man after His own heart. God has blessed him in so many ways. God's blessings ABOUND in Joshua's life, and I'm not talking about prosperity gospel blessings. These are real blessings from the One True God. And then, not long ago, Joshua was faced with a "no" answer from his Lord, for something he really wanted to do. It was an activity at the church that Joshua wanted to attend but was scheduled to work. He prayed that if it was God's will, he would be able to get the night off work to be at church for this special event. It seemed like such a simple request, something that God would SURELY want to answer with a resounding "Yes, of course! ". But God's answer was "No, My child". Joshua was instantly hurt and disappointed and called to share his pain with the one person on this earth that hurts when he hurts. But I didn't hurt for him. I understood, but I didn't feel for him the way he, at the time, wanted me to. Instead, I lovingly pointed out to him all of God's wonderful blessings and all of God's gracious "Yeses". After a long conversation, I instructed him the way I always do and always will.."take it to the throneroom, Honey". And so he did. It has become second nature to him now to take all things to the throneroom of grace and mercy. Our very next conversation, my son was singing the praises of his great God and Father and praising Him even for the "no" answers. God so lovingly, when Joshua humbled himself to the will of the perfect sovereign Jehovah, gave him a heart of Jesus on understanding His goodness and blessings always, in all circumstances. Even when we don't understand..ESPECIALLY when we don't understand, that is when grace abounds, when we humble ourselves to the sovereign hand of the One who died for us! We don't deserve such blessings...we deserve hell. But He chose to give us LIFE ETERNAL! And He wants us to spend our lives here on this earth in complete devotion to Him, and a result of that will be a life of total service to our Master and King. That means not complaining about what we don't have or what we don't get but being thankful and showing it with our very lives. Something I love to say to my Master is this: "Jesus, not lip service but LIFE service". Joshua told me that one of the most profound things the Lord so graciously and compassionately showed him during his humble prayer of wanting the right heart about His "no" was that he would be better off to go ahead and be grateful now rather than GOD having to take and pour out his milkshake!! We praise you, our Father, even for your "No's".