My parents, because they are parents and love me, are rather obsessed with my safety.  This isn’t entirely a bad thing, as it motivated them to dress me warmly, keep me from danger, and counsel me about people, places, and driving habits.  Now that I’ve been driving for 30 years, Mom still can’t resist the urge to fuss over my safety….she is, forever, my mom.

Musing over this, from behind the wheel, this thought occurred to me: No matter our situation or what we may encounter, there are always three ways to praise.

1) We can give thanks and testify to God’s protective care.  These are the accidents, illnesses, disasters or mischief that He has kept us from, either by preventing their occurrence or by rescuing us in the nick of time.  I have many of these stories.  Mom knows some of them.

2) We can give thanks and testify to God’s comforting presence.  These are the times He allows something awful, and He walks through it with us, often carrying us.  Many have compelling stories through which they draw others to the strength and grace of Him who would do anything to get our attention and offer us salvation from a far worse eternal fate. May I direct your attention, again, to the blog of Tricia Lott Williford, mom, widow, and author.

3) We can go Home, and give thanks and testimony to God’s unfathomable love.  For the believer, as Paul wrote, “to live is Christ, to die is gain”.  Should earth’s very worst befall us, we will suddenly find ourselves in the place of wholeness and perfection, never to be bothered by pain again.  Who needs safety??

So, the next time you get a little hung up on worry, or find yourself suddenly on the edge of complaint, remember:  No matter the situation, there are always three ways to praise.