This summer while I was in church, my daughter asked if she could go to my office to rest. [Just in case you don't know, I'm a children's pastor at a church...so fun!] So, I told her sure...and that I would see her after services were over.
Well, we were all getting ready to head home after services, and as I was getting in the car, my daughter asked if I had gone into my office yet. I told her no, I hadn’t, and she asked me if I would go in with her. I thought it was super strange that she asked that, [it was time to go home!] so I put all my stuff in the car and went into my office.
Sweet girl...I walked in, saw my desk...and at first glance thought she had started a puzzle that she wanted me to see. But as I got closer this is what I saw:
I started reading them all while she stood next to me. I started tearing up. The pink post-it note in the middle said "things that my mom is! love, Rachael" and each little blue post-it note around it [110+ of them!] had something she believed to be true about me written on it. Each and every one of them...different. I'm still tearing up!😅
My heart was overwhelmed and so very thankful at the same time. I'm a far stretch from a perfect parent, but I LOVE my kids. All 4 of them. And for her to have taken the time to write all of this out, and think about all of the different things...left me speechless.
I kept each of those post-it notes on my desk for MONTHS. I literally worked with my laptop on my lap [instead of my desk] so I didn't accidentally bend one or lose one. Recently I figured out how to keep them, permanently...on an old window frame soon to be on the wall:
You guys, I say all of this to say...if you struggle with being thankful...it's never too late to start. And Thanksgiving is a perfect time to begin to have a heart that's thankful in all things. Maybe you should start the way my daughter did, and tell your kids or your spouse what you're thankful for about them. You could put post-it notes on the door to their room, on the mirror in their bathroom or on the headboard in their room. Whatever you do, be intentional about it. Sit down and make it a priority.
Take it from me, those little post-it notes meant SO MUCH to me, that I don't ever want to lose them. Your words could impact your kids/family the exact same way. 💗
"I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever." Psalm 86:12