I hear her car pull in the garage so I linger a while longer in the kitchen. She walks in through the garage after school, book bag over her shoulder, grocery bag dangling from her right arm, flowers wrapped in clear plastic in the left.
“I wanted this to be surprise for you,” she admits when she hands the flowers to me. “It’s hard to surprise you when you are already home.”
She puts the bag down on the table, pulls out a square brown box with Godiva embossed gold on the lid, hands them it to me and says, “Happy Valentine’s Day. And I picked these flowers because they smell so good.”
I pull her into me, kiss her cheek and say thank you. It isn’t often that a mother gets flowers and candy from her teenage daughter. But really, she teaches me about delight in generosity on most days of the week, not just on the day to express love.
She takes the contents remaining in the grocery bag – pretzels, fruit and nuts covered in colorful chocolate – and sits on the floor. Surrounded by a roll of red cellophane, scissors, and curly ribbon, she crafts goody bags for twelve of her friends.
The money she spent, almost ten hours of working behind the counter after school.
And I think this is how Jesus delights in us, his children. He lavishes love all over us just because he wants to, not because of what we have done or deserve or because he expects something from us in return.
My daughter illustrates the way we come to Him, like children, and I am undone. (Matthew 18:3)
How about you, have you ever been the recipient of someone’s delight?
Sounds like she is living someone’s example, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find that it’s yours!
Well, let’s say that I got grafted into this generous spirit when I married my husband and she inherited it from us both. Actually, she teaches me that I still have a lot of growing to do in this area.
oh, I love her heart…and yours.
I love her heart too Tara. so proud of my girl. thanks for your kind words. And hope today is the beginning of a happy weekend for you.
“He lavishes love all over us just because he wants to…” Just because. What a beautiful expression. This is my favorite reason for giving or receiving. Just because.
What a thoughtful, generous, and sweet daughter you have! My daughter just started driving herself to school, and it feels so weird! I sit here waiting to hear her car pull into the driveway, praying she stays safe.
I know Denise, I am the same. My daughter just started driving too and it has given her a whole new world of freedom to go do things she felt would be imposing on my time before. It’s a good thing but it does feel weird.
Yes, I have been the recipient of someone’s delight, and it brought delight to my heart. Great daughter you have there, she must’ve learned how to share her generous spirit from her mom.Thanks for sharing this touching story of love. Nita
Nita, admittedly it feels uncomfortable for me to receive someone’s delight in me, sort of overwhelming. I am so grateful for what my kids teach me daily about love and generosity and really its God in them. If they learned that from me, its all grace.
So lovely. What a gift your daughter is! And it’s beautiful how our children can remind us of Christ himself in so many ways. I think that is how God intended it.
Me too Theresa. I had no idea when I had her inside me as my first how much she would teach me about Christ.
On a day like today… when I am resisting the temptation to grumble and complain… I read your post and I am reminded to live in the present and enjoy these great moments that become priceless treasures in the archives of our heart… Today I will enjoy the blessings that my children bring, even when I have to do some digging to find them… Thank you for sharing your precious moment with us…
Michele, I think your comment just revealed the reason why I wrote that story. What a gift your words are to me. Thank you.
Delighting in generosity. Love that. Have a Fabulous Friday!
Rachel, so nice to find you through FMF!
Absolutely delightful! Absolutely
Delightful read. What a special daughter!
Beautiful story of a beautiful heart. What a great example of love’s delight to love!
Katie, so great to see you in the comments. Yes, she has such a beautiful heart and I am grateful.
I’m all smiles, my friend. What a sweet post:)
Loved yours too Stefanie. It was a must tweet!