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Photo: Pavel Losevsky

Here are a few of many such moments I’ve experienced with our daughter, Christina. Maybe you and your child are making similar memories now, or perhaps they‘ll bring back fond memories of days gone by.

A Deciding Moment

I’d been serving as a full-time pastor when Christina was born, but chose to take a long-term leave-of-absence so I could stay home with her. It was a personal choice that I felt good about. And although I wouldn’t be pastoring in a church, I was still looking forward to accepting occasional speaking appointments and taking her with me.

My first seminar was scheduled to take place several months later. My husband offered to come along and care for our baby during my presentations. I’d cleared this with the retreat committee when they invited me even before she was born. Everything was set.

But then a few months before the retreat, I received a phone call saying that the committee had changed its mind. They said that they still wanted me--but only if I came alone. More than once I felt pressured to leave Christina home. I explained that I couldn’t do that—that she was too young--and offered to step down so they could find another speaker.

Several weeks later I opened a magazine and saw a half-page advertisement for that particular retreat--with a picture of the new speaker. “That’s supposed to be me,” I thought. Then I looked over at our daughter lying near me. And somehow everything was okay.

A Priorities Moment

It was Friday afternoon and I was trying to get the house clean with the help of a two-year-old. I thought I’d never get finished! Finally, I was on my last room. Just when I thought I might actually get done, Christina called to me from another room for what seemed like the hundredth time, “Mommy I need you!”

“What do you need me for?” I hollered down the hallway.

“I need you for YOU!” 

Suddenly having a clean house could wait.

A Sharing Moment

For weeks I’d been teaching Christina about sharing and wondered whether or not it was getting through. Then one night I realized she’d learned more than I thought….

We were at a church harvest party when a family with three children walked in. I’d never seen them before. They appeared to be quite poor. Earlier I’d bought Christina a bag of popcorn which she busily ate while I visited with the Mom.

A few minutes later, I looked down to see Christina standing in front of one of the children—a little girl about her age with a dirty face and tangled hair, wearing a soiled thin dress. I watched as my daughter held a piece of popcorn to the girl’s mouth. Christina looked up at me and said, “She’s hungry, Mommy.” Together we bought another bag of popcorn—this one to share.

A Spiritual Moment

It was the Friday before Easter when I came across a TV movie about the life of Jesus. We’d read about the crucifixion and resurrection, but Christina had never seen it acted out. We tuned in right when Jesus was carrying the cross.

As we watched the agony I said, "See Christina…see how much Jesus loves you?"  We both began to cry and I turned the TV off so we could talk about what we’d seen. I asked her, "Why did you cry when you saw Jesus carrying the cross?"
 
"Because I wanted Him to stay longer…."

“Oh, but He did, Honey! Remember, He rose from the grave? And He’ll stay forever.”

A Hopeful Moment

I was both shocked and heart-broken when I received the phone call that a dear friend had been tragically killed. At first I didn’t even cry. I was numb. Later that day, while sitting at the dinner table, the tears finally began to flow. Christina looked at me and frowned. “Mommy, what’s wrong?”

“Sweetie, I’m crying because Shannon died and I’ll miss her.”

With childlike faith she declared, “Mommy, why are you crying?  You know that when Jesus comes back He’ll bring Shannon out of her tomb!”

“You’re right, Honey,” I said, touching her arm. “Thank you for reminding me.”

 A Giving Moment

It was Christina’s fifth Christmas. I had a busy holiday season planned with baking, shopping, caroling, and much more. But she had her own idea….

One afternoon I realized she was being much too quiet. When I walked into the kitchen I saw why. She’d gotten into the pantry and was busily filling brown paper bags with food. “Christina, what are you doing?” I asked.

“I want to give hungry people food for Christmas!” she declared.

It would have been so easy to let that moment pass by saying, “I don’t have time for this right now,” or “I need these things for our own meals.” But I knew I couldn’t. Now both our hands were in the pantry as I let her choose what to give.

On Christmas Eve my husband drove us around town while Christina picked the houses where we would secretly leave her bags. On the way home she imagined how excited people would be when they awakened Christmas morning to find food on their doorstep.

My heart was touched. She was reminding me of what really mattered at Christmas. It wasn’t about all the events. It was about the giving.

A Goodbye Moment

One afternoon, Christina got into the hall closet. With coat and hat on, and carrying my purse, she announced that she was going to the mall. Playing along, I said, “Okay.”

Then she said, “Goodbye, Mommy.”

And I stopped.

The way she said, “Goodbye” sounded too grown-up—too final. I thought to myself, “Someday she will leave. Cherish even more what you have now.”