Write on Someone’s Calendar

Towards the end of last year one of my friends mentioned that she keeps a calendar for each of her children and tries to write down every day something special about that day that pertains to each one. She prints out a blank calendar and keeps it in a notebook.

Hello!!!! I immediately loved the idea. Yes, I have had my time of scrap booking, but with four children now ages 7 ½-12 years of age, scrap booking has become a lost memory for me. But, I could write down one thing about each of the kids every night, right? So guess what each of my children received in their stockings for Christmas. Yes, you guessed it, a small 6x6 calendar. (Sorry, I couldn’t just print off the calendar when Big Lots had them for $2 each. I splurged and thought that maybe seeing the cute covers on my nightstand would prompt me to write every day more than a notebook that reminded me of homework.) Seeing the calendars, the kids were excited (as much as they could be), but did not quite understand why I took it back from them!! I told them that I would give the calendars back next year after I had written in them. Thinking I had totally lost my mind, they shrugged and went on to the next thing they were going to do.

In the meantime, I had to wait until January 1^st to record the first thing about each child. Diligently I began the task of recording what I thought the highlight for the day was for each child…eating two helpings of black-eye pea casserole, making ants on a log all by himself, you and dad had stinky feet, put face paint on, dressed in camo and played with friends, wrote a poem, gave a great illustration about Satan trying to turn us the wrong direction on the field, etc. I loved it. It was allowing me to reflect on the day and what a tremendous blessing it was to have each of them in my life.

Well, right around the 4^th of January right before our worship time, Hannah piped up and announced to me, “you didn’t write anything on our calendars today.” I smiled and asked, “Have you been reading your calendars?” Their face expressions gave away the truth immediately. She and Dawson had seen them on the night stand and just had to see what I had written. It was so neat to see how much it meant to them to read about their lives even if it happened only two days prior. (Remember these are the children who at least once every two weeks if not every week pull out their baby books and reminisce about the “good ole days” when they were little.)

This instance tugged on my heart as I cherished how much they really do seek our encouraging words. All too often there are days that the children only hear the strict, critical, spirit of the teacher/mom correcting work and enforcing rules. I forget they, just like I, long to hear words that encourage and uplift. So here it is, Paul states in Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” If you have someone in your life that needs to hear some words of encouragement from you today, don’t wait. Write on their calendar and let them read it. Send them an e-mail, call them, or surprise them with those special words when you get home that can only come from you. You will make a difference in their day and grace will feel their hearts.

My Heart’s Prayer: Lord, Jesus, please place your loving spirit on my lips today. May you guard my lips and keep watch over the door of my mouth so that only what is true, honorable, pure, commendable, and excellent come forth from my mouth. May no unwholesome talk grace the tips of my lips, but only what will demonstrate my love for each of my children, husband, and friends. Lord, help each word that I speak be just the right words they need to hear at just the right time. In Jesus Name, Amen.

P.S. Thank you to all who responded via Facebook, private e-mail, or posted to the I Like to Be Me post. Hannah was floored when I showed her the response. To see the look on her face and the encouragement you gave her truly blessed her as well as myself. Thanks!