MR says: What a heart-warming story and a nice reminder of the tender mercies God puts into our daily lives.
On the second Monday in June, my gang gathered for our weekly family home evening. My 16- and 11-year-olds had been assigned the lesson, and together they'd decided we’d each make goals for the summer.
They handed everyone a pad of sticky notes and invited us to write down a goal or two we hoped to accomplish before Labor Day. We didn't share them aloud, though the good-natured giggling suggested no one was planning to solve any global conflict during summer vacation.
The evening was the usual mix of chaos, laughter and spiritual learning. And while we were successful in having family home evening, the church won’t be sending any film crews to shoot a how-to video.
At the end of the short lesson, we folded up the notes, wrote our names on them and my son placed them in his mother’s old saddle soap tin.
Then, the tin disappeared and summer appeared.
The months since have included a few short family trips, late-night ice cream runs and plenty of memories. The keystone was saying goodbye to our oldest as she began her 18-month service in the Brazil Florianopolis Mission. She reported in mid-July and the family is still adjusting to the hole she created when she walked through airport security. We know it will soon be filled by the sweet spirit of missionary work.