I was driving my kids home from elementary school one day and figured I’d ask the big question. “When I’m gone one day, {insert groans of, ‘MOM!’} what will you remember I said?”
Fingers crossed, I expected they’d quote Mr. Churchill, as he’s always been known in our home and his famous line, “Never, never, never give up!” Or maybe they’d parrot Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” I’d been quoting that stuff since they were born!
There was a pregnant pause followed by one of my precious children saying… “Sanitize!”
What?! Of all the beautiful words I had spoken over them, the pearl of wisdom they retained was “Use hand sanitizer?!” It was a major face palm moment.
Or was it? I remembered that story today as I considered the grand legacy of faith, bravery and family left behind by President George H.W. Bush.
As Jenna Bush read Scripture during the funeral service, pictures of Jenna and all the Bush grandchildren flashed on TV. In one moment they were all dressed up for an Easter egg hunt and then on another occasion, all in their pajamas snuggled up on the giant bed of their grandparents.
Suddenly, I remembered it’s the simple things that mean the most. The ordinary activities of reading books, decorating cookies with sprinkles, and sipping cocoa by the Christmas tree become extraordinary when you do them with someone who loves you.
Yes, whenever my kids got in the car, I’d say, “Hand sanitize!” But it was almost always after a trip to the park or Chick fil A, or after school. It meant I was there, present and accounted for and that I cared enough to attempt to keep them germ-free. There are so many ways to say, “I love you.”
Dr. Seuss once said, “You never know the value of a moment till it becomes a memory.” So, savor the simple, everyday moments with your children… for they are slowly seasoning into memories they’ll keep for always
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