I have this thing where I tell each of my kids that they are my absolute "favorite."
Hi friends.
It's been a hot minute.
I'm leaving palm trees behind today closing out a wonderful much needed couples vacay.
Let it be known that I will always advocate for any couple married any number of years to do three things that have made quite a difference in our marriage:
A daily "delay." - It can be coffee after dinner, catching up after work or any time you can squeeze it in, but a few minutes to just catch each other up on what happened in the day. When our kids were tiny we called this "(forehead to forehead talking.)
A weekly "withdrawal." - This can be a fun date night, an expensive date night, or even what we like to call an "undate" where you've waited too long to catch a break, too many frustrations have built up and too many bills are still unpaid, but you need to get together. Trust me, go cheap on the "undates." Fries do wonders.
An annual "Abandon." - I get it, this is hard to do when kids are young and finances are tight. Things will change and you WILL be able to go and not worry about the house burning down before you return. These need to be where you really don't worry about ANYTHING and read copious amounts of scripture together. And they are wonderful and this is what we are getting ready to come home from.
I have heaps of favorites.
I adore my husband's cologne, pop with small ice, sprite with three or more lime wedges squeezed in, cookie dough in just about any shape and form, poems that make me laugh, poems that make me cry and almost anything the BBC produces.
My current favorite shoes are Adidas slides my sweetheart got me for Christmas, or HIS that I still steal the minute he leaves the house even though he bought me my own.
My favorite necklace I wear just about every single day is one my bestie bought me when I came to visit HER specifically planning to buy HER a necklace as a hug from me. That's just how besties are.
My favorite holiday is Valentines Day even though the haters gonna hate. They just need some great dark chocolate raspberry creams and Zephaniah 3:17.
My favorite meal is ribeye steak with some sort of potato and asparagus and an extra heaping of more asparagus.
And then we come to my favorite child.
I know it's taboo to have one but I do.
And my favorite child of my six is Isaac, Abigail, Caleb, Nathan, Anna Lee and Alayna.
I know, I know, that's all of 'em.
This is the thing: I love each of them for being so uniquely different.
When Valentine's Day rolled around, I wanted to seek the Lord and send out love to 12 ladies.
So I sat with my computer and address book and one by one the Lord put his finger on exactly who's address I needed.
And as I prepared to send out every little envelope of love from him and me, I wrote this sentence in each and every card:
"YOU are my favorite... YOU."
Because....well, they are.
Each friend is my favorite one of them that I have.
And so it is with my children.
No one makes me laugh like Isaac. He's an encourager though and through. He reads people well and has a real ministry encouraging the weary around him. Every time we talk he mentions who he's planning to encourage next. He's been singing since he could form words and will be singing until the Lord comes. His smile is catchy and he always cheers me on to keep writing. He's everyone's cheerleader.
Abi can present a spiritual truth like nobody's business. She actually makes your spiritual growth HER business. She has a bold way of coming alongside and sharing truth that makes me want to be her when I grow up. Everything about Abi is bright and bold. She can catch any new skill and excel at it and look adorably cute doing so. She makes multi-colored sneakers look cute. Her tender-heartedness leaks out of her dark eyes every now and again and it makes my own leak too for the preciousness of it. She's honest about her own growing in the Lord and loves hearing about yours too.
When I have a need others might laugh at I text Caleb. He's there to pray for big things, little things, things you don't feel comfortable sharing with others and well, anything. He picks up your burdens and makes them his own and literally makes them lighter. He's my prayer warrior. I can tell him how I'm failing without judgement and he shares his failures too. He enjoys deep truths and simple joys which is just the best balance. He is understanding and merciful to everyone and notices what many miss in nature and life.
I could hug Nathan all day. He is loving and quick-whitted and his arm around me in church just makes me feel like a million bucks. We enjoy a really good laugh at least once a day and some gal is gonna have to fight me for him. He is rizz has the rizz and makes you think you have some as well. His love of preaching and agreeing with it in services makes my heart smile. If Nathan is in your corner he lets you know it and isn't embarrassed to do so. He is a faithful friend.
Anna Lee has taught me so much about joy. She radiates it. It comes out of her toes most days making life so enjoyable and smiley. If she were a color she would be a happy green. She is so quick to forgive, quick to lend a hand, a laugh or twelve and makes a mean cup of tea. She's the nurse you want when you are sick. She also knows what looks good everywhere. She's got such a good eye for things.
Alayna is my MacGyver. She's become my party decor manager. She can make anything out of nothing and gives like no other. Money is nothing to her to give away, use to purchase a special gift, or notice that you had your eye on something. She hugs anyone and everyone and life just dances in her eyes. She's up for any adventure as long as it's in a book and involves a cat nearby to love on.
See what I mean?
They'd all be your favorites too.
People joke about being God's favorite but I actually AM God's favorite.
I'm God's favorite Deena Francisca Royalty.
And you are God's favorite.... YOU.
Jeremiah 31:3 says, "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."
Psalm 40 verse 5 also adds, "Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."
That sounds to me like you are his very favorite.
And I don't know about you, but these truths are ones that I'd to soak my weary heart in today.
Thanks for stopping by and for being my favorite.... reader.
(see what I did there? )
