acknowledgement

You know how sometimes you hear something, and it sticks with you for all eternity?
Sometimes it's really annoying... like the Barbie movie theme song.
I hate that song with all my heart.
But sometimes you'll get stuck with a really good thing, and it just kinda resounds in your head at random moments to help you out.

One time, years ago, Karen told me how she was in Walmart with some missionary's wife, and Karen couldn't decide which bathroom trash can to buy.
She was like, enny meeny miny mo, this one or that one?
And the missionary woman (whoever she was... I don't remember her name.) said, Let's pray about it.
And right there in the middle of Walmart, with a trash can in each hand, she bowed her head and asked God which one Karen should buy.

That story has stuck with me. It keeps coming back to haunt me.
It keeps reminding me, Sunny Jane. Acknowledge God in the little things, in ALL your ways.
Maybe it seems corny to pray about which trash can to buy, Dear God, which trash can should my friend buy? The green striped one, or the pink polka dot? I think the green one would match better, but maybe I'm wrong...
I don't think I've ever prayed about which trash can to get. I just buy whichever's cheapest and go from there.
But, I'm impressed by that woman involving God in such a mundane aspect of her life.
I think God likes it.
I think it's acknowledging Him in all our ways, and that's what He wants from us.

Sometimes I kinda forget God. Or overlook Him during the day. Or don't give Him enough credit for all He's done. Or just plain get stuck on my marvelous, fascinating self.
... but God's pret-ty dang good about reminding me Who's really the marvelous, fascinating One, and bringing me back to earth, Dear Sunny Jane, remember you are but dust, and have to take a shower every day to get the dusty off.
But here's what I've found lately:
If I pray about the little stuff, I'm less likely to give myself the credit and run around telling everyone how great I am.
If I pray about the little stuff, it's so easy for me to be thankful when things work out, or to say oh, well if things don't work out.
If I pray about the little stuff, it's easier to trust God with the little and the big stuff.
If I pray about the little stuff, I'm way happier.

It's not always easy to remember to acknowledge God. Not for me anyway.
I'll stand there in the grocery store aisle forever, saying to myself, Sooooo. Do I want the pink bottle of laundry soap or the blue bottle? Will the blue kind give me a headache? Will the pink kind be overpowering and all flowery smelling? Does this brand even clean good? Which one didn't I like last time? Wait. Do I even need laundry soap? Did I need to get laundry soap, or dish soap? They both end in soap so it's confusing and hard to tell...

Why don't I just pray about it already?
Don't laugh at me.
I can't help that I'm indecisive, and absent minded, and forgetful, and allergic to strong scented laundry soap.
If you're the kind of woman who walks into the store with a carefully planned mission, good for you.
If you always remember what brands to buy, and what scents give you a headache, and have all your grocery needs written down on a perfect grocery list... you're the most amazing superwoman I've ever known.
Honestly, no sarcasm intended here. I love you. I admire you. I want to be like you when I grow up.
But... I'm not a superwoman like you.
Sometimes I need someone to help me out in the grocery store, or in the dressing room, or in the library, or in the hair salon (Especially in the hair salon), or in church, or at work, or at Les Schwab (Also, especially in Les Schwab since they look at me and think, Oh here comes another girl. We can say whatever we want and she won't know the difference. Which is true, but still).
And instead of always running to someone to help me make up my mind, why not just ask God since He's already standing there?

So here's my point:
My life is way easier when I acknowledge God in all my ways. Even in the silly, little things.
My life is sweeter when I involve God in the little everyday life things.
God likes to help when I ask Him to.

And I like that God makes the good stuff stick in my head sometimes to help me out.