Dear Daughter,

My dear, precious daughter, Heidi,

It’s your birthday today, hooray! How I have looked forward to this day, maybe even more than you have, this day to celebrate you and shower you with special affection and love. You are sweet and six today, curls dangling down and cheeks still round and tiny mouth full of sweetness. We’ve counted down the days (since 17!) and it’s finally here–your birthday.

I stopped by Fred Meyer late, in the middle of the night, on my way home from my retreat, for just one special purchase: Frozen light-up athletic shoes. The ones Daddy told me about, the ones you saw, the ones that made your face all light.  They’re bright and blinking and branded, all my least-favorite things :), but I know your heart, and my heart skips a beat just thinking of your face lighting up when you open them today.

The truth is, it takes restraint on my part to only give you a few gifts today. Although you are so cautious in your requests, although you are so mindful not to ask for things that are too “espensive,” although you are so incredibly precious in your simple Wish Lists and you willingness to not receive every whimsical desire, I love these qualities about you and the truth is:

I LOVE showering you with gifts. It gives me immeasurable pleasure to pour out my blessings on your little life. When I saw the reader-board sign that read “$1 sundaes” at Burgerville, I couldn’t wait to text Daddy and tell him–I knew he’d take you out on a little date while I was away, and I was so excited for you to get this special treat. 

Here at my retreat I just sifted through my goodie-bag, the one they give each gal, and saved out the Hershey Kiss for you, because I knew your eyes would light up: “For me?!”

Giving you a chocolate kiss is so much sweeter than tasting one myself.

The truth is, the only reason I ever don’t give you something is only for your own good. The only reason I hold back anything is because I don’t want to spoil you or ruin you, or fail to teach you important truths such as waiting, faith, trusting, delaying gratification.

The truth is, I’d just shower you with delightful gifts all day long, every day of the year, but I want you to be good and godly even more than I want to give you gifts. Besides, sometimes I want to just give you me, because our relationship–you and me–is the most important thing I can give you right now.I know that for years down the road you will remember our relationship more than any single item I ever gave. Our relationship will be what you turn to when things are hard, when life seems bitter, when inevitable disappointments come your way.

But, my sweet girl, just know: I delight to give you gifts, I delight to give you me, I delight in you. You are more precious than words could ever describe. I cannot breathe enough of your breath. I cannot hear you laugh enough times. When you shuffle out of bed, sleepy-eyed, and crawl into my lap for morning Bible time: I can barely breathe for how sacred those times are to me.

Above all, my greatest hope and desire is that you know you are extravagently loved. The Hershey kisses and Frozen sneakers are just little tangible tokens of my never-stopping, never-failing, always-and-forever love for you … my precious daughter.

I love you. Happy birthday.

Love,

Mommy

*Dear precious friends, please take a moment and re-read this letter, but this time, insert your own name in the place of my daughter, and at the very end, cross out “Mommy” and write, “God.”  I believe you will get a tiny glimpse of the Father’s extravagant love for you. I don’t know what the “Frozen sneakers” represent in your life, and you’re probably not 6-years-old, but the Father delights in giving you good gifts, most of all Himself. Happy Monday, and thanks for reading.