CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON -- The Moral of the Story

“Rather than shocking the globe with an occasional demonstration of

deity, God has opted to display his power daily. Proverbially. Pounding

waves. Prism-cast colors. Birth, death, life. We are surrounded by

miracles. God is throwing testimonies at us like fireworks, each one

exploding, ‘God is! God is!”

-- Max Lucado

“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Mommy and Daddy, I love you tons. You are so nice.

Love, your daughter, Amy Christeson,” one note said.

“You are so pretty and smart. I bet you even know what 50 times 30

is,” said another.

“Dear Mommy, you are the bestest mother in the whole world. I don’t

know what I’d do without you. Say, isn’t it allowance time? Love from

your oldest daughter, Kelly.”

These were just some of the notes I’ve discovered in the many boxes

I’ve been going through while cleaning out our attic. We are a family of

note-writers.

Even before our daughters learned to read, I drew pictures of hearts

or happy faces on paper or with felt pen on bananas and tucked them into

their backpacks before preschool. When they came home a few hours later,

they shoveled out a morning’s worth of drawings and papers and presented

them to me with beaming smiles.

Once they learned to read and write, we all became note fanatics.

Over the years, we’ve written novels of notes on every kind of paper

imaginable, and we’ve left them in some of the most unusual places. Sure,

we’ve all left regular notes in regular places, but we have fun being

creative with them.

Notes have appeared taped to steering wheels, inside day-timers and

checkbooks, and even written on mirrors in lipstick. I always hid notes

in the girls’ luggage when they went to camp or on trips, and they

started doing the same for us.

One year I went skiing, and I continued to find notes from Kelly and

Amy for days. I found one in my ski boot, one in a coat pocket and

another tucked into my Bible.

When Kelly and Amy were home for vacation, Jon and I left notes for

them on the stairs when we headed for bed, hours before they were home

from visiting friends. Sure enough, we’d find notes waiting for us the

next morning.

I love notes.

I think that God is passionate about sending us love notes as well. I

saw them again and again last week in the powerful rains and the dramatic

sunsets.

The sunsets lighted up the skies in an almost blinding array of

colors. They spoke of God’s never-ending creativity. The rain shouted

about God’s provision, as well as his unstoppable power.The swirling

clouds changed sizes and shapes so quickly, as if they were speeding

fast-forward. They told of God’s majesty and might. The winds took turns

whispering and shouting about God’s presence and strength.

The music of the rain sang to me about God’s tender care and mercy.

The blazing neon rainbow that greeted our wet world the next morning was

a pronouncement about God’s great forgiveness and love.

God writes multiple love notes to each of us every day. We just need

to stop and look for them.

And you can quote me on that.

* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks

frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at o7

[email protected] or through the mail at P.O. Box 6140-No. 505,

Newport Beach, CA 92658.