This sweet face came rushing into the house last night with these two little honey suckle flowers in hand. “Mama! I have a surprise for you!”
Precious, truly.
I told her to put them in a vase.
The vase she picked was so big compared to the little flowers. And from a distance, the vase looked quite empty- hardly full.
But late last night I picked up that vase and was truly surprised at how the entire, seemingly empty, space of that glass vase was filled with a beautiful fragrance. The vase was FULL.
Her face came back to mind.
Her voice.
The smell of those flowers in her hands.
Incredibly, somehow, SHE was filling the vase.
But I would not have really seen her or sensed her had I not leaned in close. Had I shook my head, poured out the seemingly empty vase and found a better “fit” for the tiny flowers. I would have never received the “surprise” that I truly believe that God wanted me to experience.
The surprise: That nothing in this life is truly “empty.” No space is “too big” for Jesus to fill. Lean in. Look close. Inhale deeply. He is there, in that seemingly empty space. And many times He is seen in an all too familiar face.
What Matters Most 
www.thesoldierssanctuary.com
June 24, 2014 at 7:29 pm
Thank GO there is no void he can not fill
Wendy Macdonald
June 25, 2014 at 10:06 pm
Your daughter is adorable. I love how you responded to her gift and how you shared it with us. You’re a good mom.
Blessings ~ Wendy ❀
What Matters Most- A Mother's Devotional
June 28, 2014 at 12:04 am
I cannot tell you how much this blessed my heart when I read it. I read this late Wednesday night on my phone in my laundry room as I was in the middle of folding clothes. We had church earlier and I came home to laundry and dishes. Wednesday nights are typically long nights for me, but this past one I was just exhausted- mentally, physically and even spiritually. Anyhow- I had led a small group in our church on the subject of giving the night you wrote your comment… Actually talked about how we need to share with others our gifts, deep down questioning, “Am I really giving enough?” And when I read your words it just felt like Jesus reached out to my weary heart through your words… “I love how you responded to her gift and how you shared it with us. You’re a good mom.” It brought tears. There in that moment, late in my laundry room, it felt like just me and Jesus. He filled that place thanks to your words. Thank you dear Wendy. Thank you for sharing the gift of your words as you so wonderfully and faithfully do.
– Charity
Wendy Macdonald
June 29, 2014 at 4:43 pm
Charity, I meant that comment with all of my heart. Parenting has been both my biggest blessing and challenge at the same time. Your post touched me and so did your comment. I have teens now. They tend to want to talk when I’m tired. Yesterday I asked the Lord to give me strength as I listened to the teen who has struggled the most with life so far. Peace flooded into me and our conversation turned in a direction I had not been expecting. I could see a glimpse of answered prayer peeking over the horizon. “my power is made perfect in weakness” is so true. Keep listening to our Father as you already have been doing. He’s busy answering our mother-heart prayers behind the scenes. ❀
What Matters Most- A Mother's Devotional
June 30, 2014 at 4:12 pm
🙂 Thank you. What wonderful advice. And yes, He truly is.