The Thank You Note in the Tree

I was picking up toys strewn across the grass when I spotted it, a bright splash of blue propped in the naked limbs of that spindly tree in our back yard.

I shuffled closer, and my heart smiled at the familiar handwriting scrawled across the small envelope.

To: Jesus

From: Hannah

And then, the address:

Heaven, everywhere,
In the clouds

Last I’d seen her, my girl had been sitting at the kitchen table writing thank you notes for the birthday kindnesses she’d received.

Obviously, she’d deviated from her list.

Shamefully, I admitted His name hadn’t been on the list at all.

I fingered the precious piece of mail and wondered what words hid inside.

What does a little girl write to Jesus on the morn after her ninth birthday?

The screen door screeched as someone slipped onto the deck.

Don’t move my mail, Mommy!

I lifted my hands in the air to prove my innocence and then turned to see her baby blues alight.

“What’s it for?” I asked, curious.

It’s just a thank you note to Jesus. Ya know, ’cause He’s the whole reason I had another birthday and all…

I glanced at the blotch of blue once more

“Why did you put it in the tree?” I wondered aloud.

Hannah shrugged her slender shoulders and stared thoughtfully at the sky.

Then she held my gaze steady and said,  “‘Cause that’s how He told me He loved me first. “

The wind rustled the envelope, paper scratching against wood.

 I swallowed hard, the weight of her words stuck like peanut butter in my throat.

The mail wavered in the breeze and I reached to steady it, tucking it tighter in the limbs.

And I thought about the One who never wavered when He hung on a tree for me.

If Hannah noticed the tears simmering behind my eyelids, she didn’t say anything. Instead, she skipped across the deck and raced barefooted over the grass to join her little sister in the sand box.

I took one last look at the thank you note in the tree and stepped into the garage to return the misplaced toys to their rightful home.

Mission accomplished, I headed back into the house in search of a piece of paper.

I had a thank you note to write.

The Overflow: We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. –I John 3:16

Oh, friends, thankfulness grows when it’s shared. Let’s set this holiday week abloom with gratitude together!

What would your thank you note to Jesus say?

Here’s mine–

Dear Jesus,
The more I count your graces, the more I realize that YOU can be counted on. Thank you for all these glorious gifts…

1584. A colorful construction paper tree blooming with gratitude in our kitchen

1585. The birthday girl giggling with her friends around the table

1586. A basket full of baby gifts for babies in Zambia (Hannah’s sweet sacrifice- “please bring gifts for babies instead of me…”

1587. Silly-faced cupcakes sitting on the counter waiting to be delivered to Hannah’s class at school

1588. Streamers hanging from the birthday girl’s door



1589. A stack of new library books waiting to be read

1590. Joshua’s warm arms wrapping around me in a a hug at 4 A.M. (Let’s just cuddle together, Mom….)

1591. Sipping hot chai with a treasured friend

1592. Words that water my dry soul, “Alicia, don’t discount what God can do through all the small stuff…”

1593. Josh with a happy sigh as I tuck him in, “Mom, I love school!”

1594. Sisters posing for silly pictures in the park as we complete a birthday scavenger hunt

1595. Hannah’s summary of her ninth birthday- “This might be my BEST day EVER”

1596. Fourteen year old boys filming their school project with lots of creativity and giggles

1597. Hannah’s 9th birthday wish: “Mom, I want to keep seeing angels and I want God to give me ears to hear Him”

1598. A 60 degree day in the middle of November’s bare brown… giant leaf piles for jumping in!

1599. A Thank You note to Jesus in the tree

1600. Luke’s team winning the game at the buzzer…. a coach who shines the light of Christ on and off the court

1601. A husband who woos me while I’m cooking dinner 🙂

1602. Lizzy curled up in the big brown chair reading the Song of Songs… “Mom, this guy  sure tells that girl she’s pretty all the time!”

1603. A God who takes the broken pieces of my life and makes something new