The Password

On your feet now—applaud GOD!
Bring a gift of laughter,
sing yourselves into his presence.
Know this: GOD is God, and God, GOD.
He made us; we didn't make him.
We're his people, his well-tended sheep.
Enter with the password: "Thank you!"
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.
For GOD is sheer beauty,
all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever.
Psalm 100 MSG

Many families even close friends have special “code-words” that have special meaning just for them due to common experiences. We have several in our family; one is “just say thanks for the cookie”.

Both of my children have taken Suzuki style piano since they were three. Though their mother is a Suzuki piano teacher, we selected, for Amy and Andrew, a teacher allowing Dottie to be a "piano-mom”. This decision meant frequent travel to Miami from “the rock” or our home on the island of Key Largo. Once the children began school this became our practice every other Saturday.
Early one Saturday, a classmate of Andrew’s, joined our family for the trip to the lesson before a day of activities on the mainland. Since two lessons would last more than an hour, I went to do some errands. After a quick stop at the computer store, I bought half-dozen large cookies from a shop in the mall and returned to the piano studio.
After getting into the car the cookies seemed only to be properly appreciated by the children. As Amy, Andrew and Alan all expressed gratitude for a cookie, Dottie uncharacteristically was grumbling and griping. Perhaps she thought it was to early in the day for cookies. The yammering and disapproval brought quiet and a sense of gloom into the car.
Without looking at her and seemingly to no one in particular I softly said, “Just say thanks for the cookie.” The randomness and foolishness of the comment broke the mood and we all had a good laugh. For the remainder of the day we all looked for opportunities to say, “Just say thanks for the cookie,” to each other.
And now seven years later, “Just say thanks for the cookie,” is the code-word that we use to occasionally reset and attitude. Having the opportunity to both be a classroom instructor and coach to both Alan and Andrew we have created many bewildered looks from classmates, opponents and even officials by saying, “Just say thanks for the cookie.”

Entering into the presence of God is the same, you start with the password: Thank you.

"To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us --
and He has given us everything.
Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace,
for it brings with it immense graces from Him.
Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder
and to praise of the goodness of God.
For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience.
And that is what makes all the difference."

From Thoughts In Solitude by Thomas Merton