Treasures of my heart…

I am so grateful for treasured memories that come spilling out at the drop of a hat! And being a mother brings me great joy, and has revealed my heavenly Father’s heart… just a little more clearly.

Here are three “treasures” that took place over the span of probably 20 years. And I placed them in this order only because they opened my eyes to this Word.

The Lord your God… He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Treasure #1: He will take great delight in you…
As usual I was racing up and down the supermarket aisles while my 11-year-old kept up her endless chatter. And somewhere in-between the butter and the yoghurt came the question, “If you dropped a $100 note mum, would you pick it up?” And almost absentmindedly I said, “Of course I would, darling.” “Well, if you dropped a $50 note, would you pick it up?” “Of course!” And so we went through EVERY single denomination of notes and coins until we came to the penny. Even the cashier put in her ‘penny’s’ worth, at this point! 🙂 I think I quite disappointed my girl there when I said I’d pick that one up too! “Well,” she said, tossing her little head, as we walked out of the store, “you know mama, Bill Gates wouldn’t pick up a $100 note if he dropped it!” What??? After all that? I had to laugh at her and with her. Totally pointless conversation? Oh, yes! But, did I enjoy it? Oh, absolutely yes! You see, I delighted in her words – for she is my youngest, my baby. When she was younger, she assured me I was her best friend, and of course such conversations were in plenty. But, as she grew older, her friend circle was growing bigger, and the chatter was growing less. And so I take delight in such times and cherish them.  

Father God, help me remember that you delight in me. My pointless chatter, my complaints and even my supposedly serious dialogues – all delight you. For I am Yours always.

Treasure #2: He will quiet you with his love…
This sweet child of mine was around 6 when she got back from school one day, threw her bag onto the floor and burst into tears. In the best of times, she didn’t say much and to get to the heart of the matter in the middle of a storm like this one, was out of question. She was such a gentle, loving soul. And the only thing I could do was hold her as close as I could. Slowly, the sobs became little hiccups. And then stopped. But she allowed me to keep holding her in my lap, until exhausted, she fell asleep. I wanted so desperately to take her pain away. You see, the day she was born, I discovered that the word ‘love’ had taken on a whole new meaning for me. You see, she is our first born. And even in her uneasy sleep she made sure I was around by holding on to my hair – a habit she had picked up when she was a baby. Secure in that knowledge, she finally slept. Quiet in my love.

Father God, when darkness overwhelms, as it does every so often, let me feel the reality of your arms around me. Hold me close, so though exhausted and weak, I am secure in the knowledge that you quiet me with your love.  

*Treasure #3: He will rejoice over you with singing…
The two of them waltzed through the room as Disney’s It’s a Whole New World played loudly in the background. Well, it was not quite so much a waltz as it was an exercise in gymnastics! In their imagination, he was the magic carpet and she was Princess Jasmine. And as he spun her around and swirled her over the furniture, they sang loudly along with the animated characters on the TV. To be honest, I held my breath at times, as the swings, swirls and dives became progressively wilder. But, her squeals of delight and louder singing were the only response to those particularly dangerous moves. Her 3-year-old heart knew no fear. You see, it was her father who danced with her.  And she just revelled in the attention. You see, she is our second child. And the one who taught us we could love so much more.

Father God, when the ride of life becomes rough, help me to know no fear because it is my Father who carries me and rejoices over me with singing. Teach me I pray, to dance to the beat of your heart unafraid and in total, childlike abandon!  

*PS. As time moved on, the dances grew less frequent until one day (sadly, I don’t remember when)… it stopped altogether. So, it was an emotional moment for me, when I watched father and daughter dance to It’s a Whole New World, once again, on her wedding day, in 2013.