Psalm 100

Psalm 100 was the first Scripture I remember reading. When I was in third grade, my mother arranged for an elderly woman to come stay with my brother and me when our parents went out on Saturday night dates (way before date nights with your spouse were popular). She was a scrappy, fiery, fiesty, red-head, but she was a church-going lady, and one day she brought me a special gift.

To this day, I am not sure what prompted her kind generosity. I wish I had asked her before she died. She handed me a box wrapped in lovely gift paper, and when I opened it, and pushed aside the white tissue paper, I saw the most perfect suprise - a white Bible, with gold lettering, gold-tipped pages, and a gold zipper. On the front in the bottom right hand corner was my full name, imprinted in beautiful, perfect, gold letters.

I was overcome and unusually speechless for a third grader! I was half afraid to touch it, to open it. When I finally placed my hands on the cover and slowly laid it back, I saw the most beautiful colored pictures in the front - pictures of Jesus with children sitting at His feet, pictures of Him praying. I wish I could remember the other pictures, but I do clearly remember my delight!

She sat down beside me and turned the pages to Psalm 100, and my journey began.

Psalm 100 (NIV) - a psalm for giving thanks

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His name.

For the LORD is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations."