The Simple Things

“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” John 1:3 (NIV)

Last night my family went to bed at the same time.  Our three-year-old asked me to rock him.  We had been cuddling most of the night so I told him, “Not tonight, but I will again tomorrow.”  He accepted and I thought all was well.  About twenty minutes later, just as I was drifting off, I heard a little voice ask me, “Mommy, will you rock me?”  I agreed, realizing how important that “simple thing” was to him.  After rocking for about five minutes, I put him back in bed, tucked him in and he fell fast asleep.

That’s when I realized how important the simple things in life truly are.  What are some of the simple things in life your family enjoys for you to do for them?  You know, those times when you give of yourself without asking for anything in return.

I started a ritual of making my husband’s lunch every day when we first got married.  We both know he could make his own lunch, but that’s a simple thing I do on a daily basis to show him how important he is to me.  I used to put notes in my kids’ lunches but now that they have started making their own, I kind of miss that ritual.  Sometimes a simple thing is coming alongside my kids and helping them with a chore, or doing one of their chores for them if they are having a particularly hard day.  It could be waiting a few extra minutes to hold open a door for someone having difficulty walking, or offering to pick something up at the store for your neighbor who has trouble leaving the house.  The only thing that limits a “simple thing” is your imagination.

My family is great at doing simple things for me as well.  My husband will start my car on days I have to leave the house early, build a fire on a cold, winter night, or make me tea after a long day.  One particular act of love my kids show me on a regular basis is picking up the house.  I hate when our house looks cluttered.  It may be clean, but when stuff is lying around, I get crabby.  One night, I went to bed earlier than everyone else, and when I woke up the next morning, the house was spotless!  My kids, on their own, had picked up so when I got up, I would have a clean house and an “ahhh” feeling.  That is the best example, for me, of when something simple can mean so much.

My challenge to you is this:  What is one thing you can do, a simple thing that wouldn’t require too much time or effort on your part, that will touch someone you love deeply?  Either by themselves or added together over time, the simple things in life really do mean much more.

If you have a story to share about how a simple thing touched someone in your life positively, please share so the rest of us can be encouraged as well.

Today, my U.S. Friends, let’s celebrate the birth of our Country while we enjoy the simple things God so richly provides.  To my other friends, embrace the goodness that God has given through friends, family, and nature.

Copyright 2013: Cheri Swalwell