The Most Beautiful, Beautiful...

Over the past two weeks my "nearly three" (our first-born little) has been using the word "beautiful" a whole lot. He will use this word to describe his crayons, toy cars, block towers, play-do creations, and on, and on.

After a few days of running around the house in loose T-shirts and sweats (don't send Stacy & Clint over here...I'm ok. Really.) I decided to put on a skirt and a little make-up for my Mr. When I came out of the bathroom my little guy stopped what he was doing and said "mommy, you look beautiful!" My heart melted.

Shortly thereafter, my husband went out of town for a couple of days and my "nearly-three" began using the phrase "the most beautiful, beautiful.....". Precious.

I had gone to the dollar store, the movie store, and the grocery store the day before my Mr. left and had picked up some cheap toys and books, some fun movies, and some yummy junk-food (I will readily admit that the junk food was mostly for myself...ahem...) for each day that my Mr. was away and tucked them away in a "treasure bag" to be pulled out every time I got too frazzled to cope for another second a few each day.

Each time I would pull something out of the bag my nearly-three would exclaim in all seriousness, "Mommy! This is the most beautiful, beautiful present I have ever got!!!" or "Mommy! This is the most beautiful, beautiful, movie I have ever seen!!!" or "Mommy! This is the most beautiful, beautiful cookie I ever tasted!!!" and similar other "beautiful, beautiful..." phrases all weekend. It was as if he'd never seen or experienced these little treasures before. Each time he used this phrase I couldn't help but throw my head back and laugh with complete delight in my child. It felt so good and brought such joy to my heart.

I share this story with you, not because there is anything out of the ordinary, or anything cuter here than you've heard come from your own childs mouth, but because when I pondered these events later, this thought came to me..how much more does Our Father in heaven delight in US His little children. Do our words touch His heart and make Him throw his head back in delighted laughter? I think yes. You (yes you) and I are His beautiful, beautiful children...(shall I assume you're all women reading this? I think I will)...we are daughters of the King! And what we do and say, no matter how insignificant it may seem, matters to Him. So no matter what your days may bring, no matter how frazzled, insignificant, tired, little, sinful, hidden, unappreciated or lost you may feel, remember that you are a daughter first and that your daddy cares and thinks YOU are the most beautiful, beautiful. He will help you through it all. "Who" you are brings joy to His heart.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21