A child brought home a report card, two As, two Bs and a C. Her parents look at it. Their response is, "How come you got a C?" After listening to her explanation, she is told she better get that C up to a B. No mention is ever made about the two As and two Bs.

Recently TV aired a special called, ‘America’s Team.’ The special followed a Little League baseball team from Maryland, from first day of practice, to the last all-star game which was a loss in the regional finals. A win would have sent them to Williamsport to play in the Little League World Series. One of the father’s was overheard, and later challenged by the news reporter about the following remark, which he made to his son, after striking out during a crucial moment of the game. The father said, "Wait until I get you at home." Unfortunately stories like these are heard too often.

The Second volume of Chicken Soup for the Soul, contains the story of a father teaching his young son Kelly how to use the lawn mower and mow the lawn. The book reads, ‘As David, the father, is teaching his son how to turn the mower around at the end of the lawn, his wife, Jan called him to ask a question. With his back turned to his, Kelly pushed the lawn mower right through the flower bed at the edge of the lawn-leaving a 2 foot wide path.

When David saw what had happened, he began to lose control. As he began to raise his voice to his son, Jan put her hand on David’s shoulder and said, "David, please remember...we’re raising children, not flowers!"’

How important is it to learn to praise our children?

How important is it to you, to receive praise?

What wife doesn’t like to hear a compliment from her husband?

What husband doesn’t like to hear a compliment from his wife?

What adult doesn’t like to hear a compliment from a client, or a boss, or a neighbor? It doesn’t matter how young or how old you are, we all like to hear words of praise.

I remember Diane and I praising our sons, for holding their bottle, for feeding themselves, for using the toilet, for dressing themselves, for doing things by themselves. As they got older we praised them: by hanging their artwork, artwork, which even Piccaso would have been envious of, on the refridge.; by placing their handmade ash trays and wooden masterpieces in prominent places, even if it meant pushing aside some rather expensive collectibles.

The praises continued through strikeouts and errors, hits and circus catches, success and failures. Sometimes it was spoken and sometimes it was communicated with a caring embrace, a listening ear and an understand heart.

Today’s scripture passages, Psalm 103 and 104 remind us of how important it is to praise. Psalm 103 praises God for what God does. God forgives, heals, and redeems us. God treats us with loving kindness and tender mercy. God provides us with righteousness, justice, grace, and patience.

Psalm 104 praises God for who God is. God is creator. If you have trouble seeing God in creation, then read this Psalm again.

Praising God requires a humble and
thankful heart.

Praising God requires more than a voice shouting Alleluia. It requires a attitude of humility, a heart of gratitude, and a life set on honoring God. The story of Eric Lidell, which was brought to the cinema some 20 years, in the movie, ‘Chariots of Fire’, revealed a person who desired to Praise God with his running.

Eric Lidell had been training to run the 100 meter race in the 1924 Olympics. Many sports writers predicted he would win. At the games however, Lidell learned that the 100 meter race was scheduled to be run on Sunday. This posed a major problem for Eric. He did not believe he could honor God by running on the Lord’s Day. He bowed out of the race. Many who praised him in the past criticized him calling him a fool. He came under intense pressure to change his mind, but Lidell stood firm.

Later in the Olympics a runner in the 400 meter race had to drop out. Lidell offered to fill his spot, even though the distance was four times as long as the race he had trained for. Lidell ran the race and won it in record time. He earned a gold medal, not the one everyone thought he would win. More importantly he made an uncompromising stand for his faith and praised God in doing so.

Praising God for everyday blessings, the comforts of home, the love of family, the beauty of creation, the spirit of a child should be a daily response of gratitude, yet how often do we forget to.

Praising God does more for you and me than it does for God. I find it hard to believe that God needs me to say Praise the Lord, AS much as I need to say Praise the Lord. When I Praise God, I acknowledge His existence. When I praise God I enter into His presence. I open my mind, my heart and my life unto Him.

"Bless the Lord, O my Soul,
O Lord my God, You are very Great."

Amen

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