The Sweetness of a Daughter

I stayed home sick from work on Friday. My mom was wonderful (as usual) and stayed to take care of the kids anyway so I could get some rest. At lunch time Kylee was helping Mom make pb&j sandwiches. Not expecting her to make my lunch, too, when she came in to ask me what kind of jelly I wanted I said, "You're making a sandwich for me!?" She replied, "Yes, yes I am!" and giggled her cute little girl giggle all the way back into the kitchen to retrieve the jelly from the refrigerator. I marveled at how big my baby girl has gotten as she bounded back and forth from the kitchen to my post on the couch several times, asking me if I wanted crunchy or creamy peanut butter, if I wanted something to drink, and what kind of chips I wanted for a side.

Of course my sandwich was very yummy! I have to admit, however, that a cup of hot soup may have been more helpful in soothing what was ailing me, but I would never trade that peanut butter and jelly sandwich and jalapeño Cheetos for a cup of the world's best chicken noodle soup! The love my sweet daughter poured into making me lunch that day had more healing qualities than any cup of soup could ever have, I'm sure of it!

Later that evening Kylee and I were spending time together on the couch. She looked at me and said, "Mommy, when I asked you what kind of sandwich you wanted today for lunch, you said, 'You're going to make a sandwich for me?!' but why wouldn't I make a sandwich for you? I'm your daughter! Of course I'd make a sandwich for you! I love you. I'd do anything for you!"

Talk about melting a Mommy's heart!

I don't know how she came to this conclusion. Perhaps Tom and I have mentioned something before along the lines of our roles as parents causing us to love our children and be willing to do anything for them. Perhaps it's just a part of her love language of acts of service. Whatever it is, I was touched and blessed by her words.

Her declaration of devotion also made me think about my own idea of what it looks like to be a daughter in the Kingdom. I thought about when Jesus said in John 14:15: "If you love Me, you will obey what I command." Now obviously I haven't and wouldn't command my daughter to make me a sandwich or to be willing to do anything for me. But we do teach our children that the reason they are to obey is to show their love for Jesus and for their parents. Whatever motivated my daughter's words, I was inspired by her to examine my own response to my heavenly Father's love. It's so easy to get caught up in concerning myself more with what my Daddy has to give to me or how He will love me or take care of me, rather than focusing on how I can respond to His love by serving Him, "of course!" and being willing to do anything for Him.

So my sweet Kylee, as she has grown from a tiny toddler "making coffee" for Mommy in her play kitchen with her play dishes to being a little lady helping Grammy in the real kitchen making real sandwiches with real food, has succeeded in truly blessing my heart and teaching me more about the heart of a daughter.