Alleluia moments: Praising the Lord in the ordinary

It never ceases to amaze me what small things our toddler will get excited about. From picking zucchini in the garden and exclaiming “Whoa! That’s a big one” to finding a toy that he hasn’t seen in a few days, he exudes joy. Recently, when he gets excited about something, he will sometimes tag on an “Alleluia!” to the end of his sentence. The most recent of these occurrences came from trying to put his shoes on the correct feet. After a few attempts of switching feet and shoes around, he got them on and proclaimed “Alleluia!” while half-throwing his hands up in the air in excitement.

Putting the right shoe on may not seem like a big deal to us as adults, but to my three-year-old, it is a big deal when he gets it. He can grow frustrated trying to get them on, especially when we need to correct him more than once. When he finally gets his shoes on, he is excited because he accomplished that task and because that usually means it is time to go somewhere. To him, even going to the grocery store is an adventure, so shoes on means that good things are coming!

The whole interaction made me laugh and smile, but also caused me to sit and think about how often I praise the Lord in my own life. It is easy to praise the Lord when we have big, happy moments, and I would venture that most of us do in those times. But what about the small moments? I know for myself that the “shoes on the right feet” moments are at times taken for granted because I don’t think about those as new or exciting.

There is a temptation to let things like getting to go grocery shopping, going outside to check on the garden or even going to Mass become just a part of our regular routine. We live out our lives week to week and sometimes don’t pay attention to these activities, let alone count them as blessings.

We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I believe we often forget to do this, especially as adults. Praising the Lord in all we do and for all we have is a habit that needs to be built. I am definitely not perfect at this, but things like prayers of gratitude at the end of the day are one thing we practice in our house to build that habit. Each night, my husband and I pray together before bed and thank the Lord for many of these small things. We know that quality time with each other, watching our children grow and even feeling rested are blessings from the Lord. Sometimes these sorts of daily things may seem inconsequential, but it is important to recognize even these small blessings.

Some days are harder than others, admittedly. In days of sleepless nights with little children, supporting a friend in their sorrows or mourning the death of a loved one, it can feel really difficult to find something to be grateful for at the end of the day. These moments challenge us beyond all measure at times and it is easy to ask, “Where was God in this?”

We must never forget, though, that the Lord is there with us in those times and again take heed from how our children live life. The Lord calls us to this childlike way of life, even going so far as to say “ … unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). Even in these painful moments, our children are showing us how to respond. When they’re hurting or overwhelmed, they instinctively seek the arms of someone who loves them. A father’s hug or a mother’s kiss can instantly change how a child is feeling.

In the same way, we are called to seek the Lord in our own pain and suffering. When life is hard, we need to turn to our Lord as His children. His love for us is unceasing and he is always there, ready to embrace us. This doesn’t mean that things won’t hurt sometimes, but we can rest in the comfort of our Lord until we are at a place where things are better.

Perhaps we could all take a lesson from a three-year-old putting on his shoes and recognizing the goodness of the Lord. In the little victories, in the mundane routines, and even in the hard days, let us remember to lift our eyes and give our own “Alleluia” building our habit of gratitude in the works of the Lord. Not because everything is perfect, but because we know we are not alone.

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