Pocket Treasures

Matt called this morning, on another dreaded Monday of returning to work. He had just stepped out of his truck and was crossing the parking lot. When he reached into his pocket to stash his keys, he found several Duplo blocks (think Legos on steroids). He had left his coat hanging from the closet doorknob, and apparently Jack thought the pockets were a good place to store some of his toys.

This isn't a new trick, but it is the first time one of his private stashes travelled outside the house. Yesterday, I found a miniature John Deere tractor in my saucepan when I pulled it from the cupboard. I have found several wooden puzzle pieces in my utensil drawer, once found my hair clip (after searching the house twice) in the silverware drawer, and often have had lengthy searches for an elusive sippy cup, only to find it shut away in some cupboard or drawer. These are our everyday love notes from Jack.

I wonder how often I overlook love notes from God? Some days I am aware of that special shade of blue in the evening sky, the song of a Robin on a rainy day, the smile on the face of a stranger. But most days I am a bit robotic as I go about my tasks. Sure, a handful of Duplos in a pocket is a bit out of the ordinary, and sure to grab our attention, but how soon will those stashes become so commonplace that they no longer bring a smile to our faces? I want to travel through each day with the wide eyes of a toddler exploring his world for the first time. I realized today that those tiny toys hidden in strange places are really love notes from God- He just had to use one of His children to get my attention.