Dear Ivy,
I am counting down the hours until I get to drive to pick you up from your first week away at camp and let me be honest, I am missing you like crazy! I have to tell you, your couple days before leaving for camp weren't your best days. I'd like to think you were suffering from the post-vacation, post-July 4th sleepies. Or maybe you were dealing with a mix of emotions about if you were nervous, excited, anxious, or all of the above about going to camp for 5 nights. But regardless the cause, you weren't in the loveliest of moods. We dropped you off and when we got back in the car we said, "Well, I hope she has a great time, learns lots about Jesus' love, and that she will come home appreciating us a little more....."
But guess what??? I have come to appreciate you a lot more with missing you these last 5 days. I have learned a few tough things. Sometimes you are the one that I am short with. You are the one I lose it with. And often you are the one who least deserves it. I am sorry for that, Ivy girl. I realized that you are the one who helps us get out the door when it's time. You are the one who saves a couple minutes here and there when you buckle Tula's carseat and grab Joss an extra diaper. You keep the sister's sane a lot of the time! You are the one who distracts Tula when she is about to lose her mind over something silly and the one who sings Joss her ABC's while I am busy. You are my side kick and my have I missed you!
I am so thankful for your helping heart and even when I can be so rude (who knew mommies could be rude???) you are always there to help me out the next time. That is being just like Jesus. You are already trying to be just like Jesus. That is offering me grace when I sometimes don't even say I am sorry. That is loving me and our family even when I might not seem too lovable. I hope you learned lots about Christ's love for you this week. I hope I get to talk with you about salvation this evening when I pick you up. If I could tell you my story of salvation I would make it pretty simple.
1. Before I accepted Jesus into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior, I knew I was a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a student.
2. I learned that I was something even more great than that- I was a child of God, a daughter of the most high King, and part of His plan.
3. I knew that I wasn't perfect- sometimes I was mean, grouchy, and unkind. I knew that God sent his only son, Jesus, to die on the cross for me. I wanted to accept Him as my savior. I wanted to let him offer me grace and forgiveness for my mistakes. I wanted the promise of heaven.
4. As I have become an adult I am still learning about just how great His promise is to me. The most important decision I ever made and the most important decision you will ever make is this one- accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
I miss you, Ivy. I can't wait to see you and hear all that you have learned this week. My prayer is that some big seeds were planted in your heart- questions will be asked, it will be processed, and your understanding will continue to grow and mature. You are only 6 after all.... for 20 more days!! Thank you for always being a helping hand at home. We love you and have been missing you like crazy!
xoxo
Love you,
Mommy
