Cherish the Next Smallest Thing - Simple Words of Faith

on February 1, 2022

Acts 20:35 – I’ve left you an example of how you should serve and take care of those who are weak. For we must always cherish the words of our Lord Jesus, who taught, ‘Giving brings a far greater blessing than receiving.’

When I think of the things that I cherish the most, it’s not the seemingly “big” or “important” things of my life. While I value “big” moments, I have come to realize that life is really more about a lot of little small, almost insignificant moments, than a few really big deals.

Moments I cherish are the few second memories that I hold dear: singing Silent Night on Christmas Eve. Time with the grandkids in the car while driving them to school. A conversation with a loved one at our family Christmas that often replays in my brain. The unexpected card that shows up in our mailbox. Lunch and good conversation with a friend. Snuggling in our favorite chair with Hubby Rick. When he puts his hands on my leg while I’m taking a nap in the car (and he is driving of course!). The last minutes I had with my parents. When a kid makes some profound comment to me, repeating something I’ve shared in a Children’s Message, and I thought no one was paying attention.

The list could go on and on, but I hope you get the drift. As much as I remember the “big” days in my life, I also relish the simplest of moments that often catch me off guard and bring me back to what is truly most important to me.

These are the things that I cherish. Over and over and over. I cherish these types of days.

What I Cherish

There’s a box that I keep in our house. And if there was a fire and I could only grab one thing, I would grab this particular box. Inside are all the little funny notes Hubby Rick and left me over the years. Written on the back of an envelope or a post-in note. Funny sayings he put underneath my pillow when he used to work the night shift or little love notes he left when we didn’t see each other for multiple days in a row. Yes, there are cards he has given me as well. I cherish every single one of these notes and cards. Sometimes, when I’m having a bad day, I dig through this box and remind myself that there are many great things in my life to celebrate and cherish.

Sometimes, I think we put a lot of hype and pressure on ourselves to have monumental days and celebrations and memories. Yes, I remember certain days of my life with great fondness. Yet, I’m not sure that these days are any more cherished than the little conversations I have with our grandkids or Hubby Rick or other important people in my life. These memories are far more important to me than any material possession, other than possibly the box of cards. As I have sat with hundreds of families as they plan celebrations of life and funerals and memorial services with their recently deceased loved one, I have yet to have anyone say they wished they had purchased some item for their loved one. No, everyone says they would like one more day, one more conversation or one more phone call with this person.

This is what they cherish.

A Lesson on Cherishing

Years ago, Oprah followed a family in which a young mother had a terminal illness. She had several young children. Oprah’s crew followed them through the last stages of the mother’s illness. They traveled with them to Disney, which Oprah gave to the family. She showered the family with a variety of things to help fill the void of the mother’s illness and her death. After the mother’s passing, Oprah had the family back on her show. She asked one of the kids what he missed most about his other. He missed sitting on the couch and eating Cheerios with his mom.

This is what he cherished.

Too often, we feel this “need” to try and make a “big” difference in our world or state or community. Don’t get me wrong. We need strong leaders who are willing to go to the wall for something they feel is important and they are passionate about. But let’s be real. Most of us won’t have our names written in a history book or on the outside of a building. Only a few people will really know where we are buried and ever come and visit us there.

Cherishing The Day – Every Day

So instead of focusing on what “big” mark we should aspire to make, maybe what we should cherish is what next small thing I can do to today that will create a moment that someone will cherish. How might I lovingly express kindness to someone in a way that will take their breath away or cause them to pause because they want to cement this memory in their brain?

How you might do this may look very different from how I would do this. Our lives and roles are all very different. This is certainly not a comprehensive list, but maybe these ideas will trigger something else that you CAN do to create a cherishable moment for someone else:

Tell a local school employee they are doing a good job.
Support your local food pantry by either providing a special food or volunteering.
Check in with an elderly neighbor with some treats.
Take a struggling friend to lunch or coffee at your house and just listen.
Commit to text one friend a day during the month of February and tell them how much you admire them.
Take a grandchild or child out for ice cream. One at a time.
Send a Subway card to college student with an encouragement card.
Provide homemade Valentine’s cards to a nursing home or assisted living.
Acknowledge a health care worker with a feel-good movie DVD and thank you note.
Send a care package to a military person overseas with a special note.
Send flowers to someone completely unexpectedly.
Take a homecooked meal to an overwhelmed parent.
Donate unused blankets to a homeless shelter with a card encouraging a person who would get the blanket.
Ask your local school district what something is a student in need could use.

Provide an opportunity to bless someone and create a moment that they cherish.

So often, when we think of what we cherish, we tie it to something tangible that we have. This is OK yet we are encouraged to deep deeper in our faith. Give something to someone else, whether it is our time, effort, an item, an encouragement or a small gift, and provide them an opportunity to cherish this moment in their lives.

Blessings –

Dianne

Lord God – Thank you for all the moments and minutes that have come into my life for me to cherish. Now, encourage me to create these same cherished memories with someone else. May I see that in giving to another, I have great opportunity to assist someone in creating a shared moment. Amen.

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