It was on page 35 of the Sears Christmas Toy Catalog and I had it circled, folded and flagged with a yellow yarn bookmark. I was 8 and I had my heart set on that Barbie Dream House. I had a spot all picked out in my tiny little bedroom to put it, and all I could think about was the hours of fun I would have playing with that perfect gift.
Knowing how much I wanted it and knowing how far it was out of our family budget, my mom loving explained to me before Christmas that I would need to choose something else to wish for because it just wasn’t possible. She didn’t use many words, just a few, lovingly spoken. She knew I would just need time to be disappointed and then life would move on. After a few hours she helped me move past the sting. She came into the kitchen with a giant box, some fabric, supplies and a giant smile. We proceeded to sit together at the kitchen table for the afternoon and create a homemade Barbie Dream House complete with furniture and curtains in the windows. When we were finished she put it in my room and said she hoped I’d remember it as a lesson on setting my heart on things that were more important than shiny stuff.
This verse from Deuteronomy reminds me of that beautiful afternoon and the love that spilled from a mother’s heart. I stopped to realize that if my mom could love me that much, and her love is only a sliver of the love our Father has for us, I think I’m underestimating some things. You know, I have no idea what I asked for that Christmas because whatever it was, paled dramatically in comparison to the doll house mom and I made that winter afternoon. I suppose God tries to show me that truth a dozen times a week and I’m so focused on what I have MY heart set on that I forget that HE has His heart set on ME! What could I possibly want more than that?
We are busy; we are smart; we are involved; we are parents, children, teachers, farmers, and dozens of other things. We fuss about getting ahead and doing better, making more money and achieving success and titles. We are so many things but I give so little thought to the fact that above all the other stuff, I am CHOSEN! Not just chosen for the team or the part or the position but for HIM … HE chose US! I don’t know about you, but that kind of makes my heart skip a beat when I think about it. We’re not some random clump of cells that was spun into existence by a nameless, faceless creator … We were chosen, created and KNIT in our mothers womb perfectly and lovingly. How’s that for an antidote to not feeling very important? We matter because we’re His!
It didn’t end with the creation either. Once we were created and born into earthly life the relationship didn’t end … He has his heart set on us! He wants us; He desires our happiness and our relationship with Him. That all seems a pretty small thing for Him to ask. He isn’t asking us to swim the ocean or climb Mr. Everest to prove we love Him, He simply wants our time, our love, and our attention. He asks that we show His love to others, speak to Him daily in prayer, and live as if we realize how adored we are by the one who created us.
I’m way older than 8 but when I read this verse, I think I know what my mom really meant. She showed me what was more important than shiny new things; she showed me that love, communication, generosity, and the gift of simple time were the things to set our heart on. God is asking the same thing. The Easter season is the perfect time to think about the things we have our heart set on.
Blessings on your day!
Copyright 2018 Sheri Wohlfert
This article was originally published at CatholicMom.com and is shared here with permission.
