so frustrated and so often over nothing? Nothing that matters, anyway
.
Yes, the tea party had been ruined. But not by Faith’s escapade. It had been ruined by Anne’s anger. She was right to scold Faith. Though the little girl hadn’t hurt Sweetums, it still wasn’t right to snag the poor creature with the fishing net. And Faith had broken her promise to be careful of her dress. Still…
Anne could have cleaned Faith up and given her a time out. For that matter, she could have let Faith change into her beloved jeans and T-shirt for the party. What they wore didn’t matter. It was being together, creating memories they could treasure that mattered. Not clothes or pretty hair.
The heavy sigh that escaped Anne seemed to come from someplace deep within her. If only she’d realized these things sooner.
Lord, please, help Faith know I love her. Because I do, Father. So very much
.
As though sensing her mother’s distress even in her sleep, Faith stirred beneath Anne’s hand and turned to blink up at her with sleep-laden eyes. She reached out one small hand to pat Anne’s cheek. The gesture brought tears to her eyes. Underneath all that bravado and stubbornness, her little girl had such a tender heart.
Protect that heart. Keep her close to You. Reach her, Lord…
Prayers flowed through Anne, and she cupped her hand over her daughter’s, begging God to do what she had not—to love her daughter just as she was.
“Mommy?”
Anne smiled down at Faith. In the dim light from the hallway she could see Faith’s green eyes were wide, eyes so full of wonder as she watched the world around her. “Yes, honey?”
“Will you sleep with me tonight?”
Warmth flooded Anne.
Thank You, Lord. Thanks for a child who forgives
. “Just for a little while, okay?”
“ ’Kay.”
Faith scooted over as Anne slid under the covers and cuddled her close. Faith nestled against her. “Mommy?”
Anne leaned a cheek against Faith’s hair, breathing in the sweet fragrance that was her daughter. “Yes, sweetie?”
“I’m sorry I ruined the party.”
The tears were back, and Anne had to swallow several times before she could answer. “Oh, Faith, you didn’t spoil the party. Mommy did, when she got angry.” Anne shifted so she could meet Faith’s sleepy gaze. “Honey, I’m sorry I got angry. That was wrong.”
Faith studied Anne’s face for a moment, then she nodded. “It’s okay, Mommy. I forgive you.”
Anne hugged her. “Tell you what. How about if we have a different party tomorrow. One with chocolate milk instead of tea?” So it wouldn’t be exactly the same as it had been when Anne was a child. So what? Chocolate milk would be that much more special in a silver teacup. “And you can wear your jeans and tennies.”
“Really?”
The delight Anne had hoped to see was finally there, in full radiance. “Really.”
“I’d like that, Mommy. Lots.”
Anne cradled Faith against her. “Then that’s what we’ll do.” She felt Faith nod against her, and then one little hand came up to pat Anne’s face again.
“I love you, Mommy …” Faith yawned, and her sleepy voice drifted off. “Bunches and bunches.”
Memories to treasure. That’s what Anne longed for, and that’s what God gave her. Right here. And that, Anne closed her eyes on a smile, was better than the most elegant tea party in the world.
six
“Eternity was in that moment.”
W ILLIAM C ONGREVE
IT WAS A GOOD DAY .
Laughter floated on the breeze, and the sound was music to Jared’s ears.
He sat, perched on a large boulder, and watched as his wife and daughter scrambled over the trails and rocks a few yards away. Even from a distance, the exultation in Anne’s tone was evident.
She loved coming here, to the Oregon coast. It was the one place lately that seemed to stir the child within her to life. She’d been struggling so with fatigue, with discouragement over her weight and health, that Jared had grown concerned. Last week had
.
Yes, the tea party had been ruined. But not by Faith’s escapade. It had been ruined by Anne’s anger. She was right to scold Faith. Though the little girl hadn’t hurt Sweetums, it still wasn’t right to snag the poor creature with the fishing net. And Faith had broken her promise to be careful of her dress. Still…
Anne could have cleaned Faith up and given her a time out. For that matter, she could have let Faith change into her beloved jeans and T-shirt for the party. What they wore didn’t matter. It was being together, creating memories they could treasure that mattered. Not clothes or pretty hair.
The heavy sigh that escaped Anne seemed to come from someplace deep within her. If only she’d realized these things sooner.
Lord, please, help Faith know I love her. Because I do, Father. So very much
.
As though sensing her mother’s distress even in her sleep, Faith stirred beneath Anne’s hand and turned to blink up at her with sleep-laden eyes. She reached out one small hand to pat Anne’s cheek. The gesture brought tears to her eyes. Underneath all that bravado and stubbornness, her little girl had such a tender heart.
Protect that heart. Keep her close to You. Reach her, Lord…
Prayers flowed through Anne, and she cupped her hand over her daughter’s, begging God to do what she had not—to love her daughter just as she was.
“Mommy?”
Anne smiled down at Faith. In the dim light from the hallway she could see Faith’s green eyes were wide, eyes so full of wonder as she watched the world around her. “Yes, honey?”
“Will you sleep with me tonight?”
Warmth flooded Anne.
Thank You, Lord. Thanks for a child who forgives
. “Just for a little while, okay?”
“ ’Kay.”
Faith scooted over as Anne slid under the covers and cuddled her close. Faith nestled against her. “Mommy?”
Anne leaned a cheek against Faith’s hair, breathing in the sweet fragrance that was her daughter. “Yes, sweetie?”
“I’m sorry I ruined the party.”
The tears were back, and Anne had to swallow several times before she could answer. “Oh, Faith, you didn’t spoil the party. Mommy did, when she got angry.” Anne shifted so she could meet Faith’s sleepy gaze. “Honey, I’m sorry I got angry. That was wrong.”
Faith studied Anne’s face for a moment, then she nodded. “It’s okay, Mommy. I forgive you.”
Anne hugged her. “Tell you what. How about if we have a different party tomorrow. One with chocolate milk instead of tea?” So it wouldn’t be exactly the same as it had been when Anne was a child. So what? Chocolate milk would be that much more special in a silver teacup. “And you can wear your jeans and tennies.”
“Really?”
The delight Anne had hoped to see was finally there, in full radiance. “Really.”
“I’d like that, Mommy. Lots.”
Anne cradled Faith against her. “Then that’s what we’ll do.” She felt Faith nod against her, and then one little hand came up to pat Anne’s face again.
“I love you, Mommy …” Faith yawned, and her sleepy voice drifted off. “Bunches and bunches.”
Memories to treasure. That’s what Anne longed for, and that’s what God gave her. Right here. And that, Anne closed her eyes on a smile, was better than the most elegant tea party in the world.
six
“Eternity was in that moment.”
W ILLIAM C ONGREVE
IT WAS A GOOD DAY .
Laughter floated on the breeze, and the sound was music to Jared’s ears.
He sat, perched on a large boulder, and watched as his wife and daughter scrambled over the trails and rocks a few yards away. Even from a distance, the exultation in Anne’s tone was evident.
She loved coming here, to the Oregon coast. It was the one place lately that seemed to stir the child within her to life. She’d been struggling so with fatigue, with discouragement over her weight and health, that Jared had grown concerned. Last week had
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