Thursday, December 22, 2005

Christmas memories that will last forever

I'm reading a book about leaving a legacy as a Father and it has encouraged me to keep on recording things and sounding like a drone to my children as I tell them the same things over and over again. Sometimes I wonder if they appreciate it... especially when they make fun of the way that my voice puts them to sleep. (hinting at boredom)

Back to the book "Letters from Dad". I haven't finished the book yet, but the premise so far is this, write things down, record them, present them well, and save them forever. The testimonies in this book about the results of a well presented gift are amazing. I just received a well presented gift in the form of a Christmas card from my youngest daughter, Becca.

I was just thinking about how special it was that she took the time to write out a colorful card with a custom message that encourage me at the same time that it was exercising her God given, inherited gift of writing letters. ( Her Grandma Etsinger puts us all to shame in the "letters per day" measurement )

Later, I discovered that this was a "Form Card". Carmen's guinnea pig "Moe" received a similar card, as did Adam's crab "Gary". I haven't seen the one to our dog but I'm sure she did not leave him out.

It is still my favorite Christmas gift so far.

2 comments:

Joan said...

Just got back to your blog. You are doing so well with it. Sometimes I think I write too often to say anything of substance, but people are still reading, so I suppose it doesn't matter if you have a captive audience who "knows and loves" you.

I kept journals for my two oldest kids and for my husband from August to December to write down moments when I had something I wanted to say to them, but life prevented it. The daily thanks for who they were becoming, how they were developing, what I love about them. I see each one reading them from time to time, and I know, more than I did before, how much they hunger for "what I really think about them".

Especially D. He told me a few months ago that he was very sad that I blew him off over what he considered to be a major milestone. He wept and was very nervous coming to me about it. I realized how important the words really are...my attention.

New Year's Eve, I added an eight page hotel letter to his journal...chronicling his salvation experience he had just decribed to me with firm resolution, but shaking voice and many questions over the phone shortly after midnight.

It is my hope that I am helping make memories that will last forever.

My husband's mother had a major fall just weeks before Christmas. Required surgical replacement for her shoulder and reattachment of ligaments and tendons...she's still unable to move it much. So, this year much different for us as well.

Behind getting my cards out this year. But, I'll have much to share when I do after all this!

Blessings!

PS: The Tatesbrook blog is such a blessing. I plan to pull the salvation scriptures to review with my son tomorrow from Brady's sermon. Been looking for a good list for him. I left a thanks there also.

PSS: Enjoying my new HP. Printer still guzzles ink, though (as they intend?) I'm going to start calling it "Buick" after my parent's old guzzler :-)

Kevin Eby said...

HP Printer!?!?!