“Hugging him!
“Kissing him!”
“Jumping on the bed!”
Little L.E. was shouting out her memories of Mattias as fast as I could write them on her little coins. She painted them with gold glittery paint and turned her attention to decorating her little black bag while I made some coins of my own.
“Watching the chickens together.”
“Eating cookie dough together.”
“How he loved his siblings and holding his baby brother.”
I thought of that smile, that ornery grin, he flashed so freely. I thought about what wonderful treasures each of those memories are for me, for little L.E. and for each of us. And I thought how easily this project could be adapted to fit any family to remind children how special they are in our lives.
Think of the “words of gold” children could write to drop in each other’s pots, or treasured memories they could drop in their own. Either way, with a little time and a little paint, each family member could have pot full of treasure more valuable than gold.
Not to mention the opportunity for some wonderful conversation about what we treasure in our lives, all with a little seasonal flair.
Materials:
For the pots: black paper bags, or a paper pot pattern like we used for Valentine’s Day. Shamrock stickers or cut outs to decorate with are a nice touch as well.
For the coins: yellow construction paper for the clean at heart, paper circles and yellow paint for the more adventurous and a bit of glitter or glitter glue for those who dare.
Then enjoy some time together sharing the treasures of your heart!
Welcome to Roscommon Acres, my little home in the country. I write here about life more abundantly, from the joy of a baby’s smile to the almost unbearable grief of losing a son. I am seeking beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair (Isaiah 61:3).
Just place "Tiggy" in the subject line.
It looks like she’s making some steps, what a blessing.
This is a very adaptable idea – and a very nice one, too!
I’ve been following your blog since your sweet son’s accident. My heart aches as I read your posts that are so raw with grief.
Thank you for this post… your idea is a wonderful way to redeem St. Patrick’s Day for me. It was St. Patrick’s Day 8 years ago that my water broke while pregnant with our twin sons, Josh & Jonah. I was only 23 1/2 weeks pregnant and their chances of survival were less than 1%. Josh lived for 2 days. Jonah lived for 30 days. It all started on St. Patrick’s Day. We’ve since had 3 more children… each is an amazing gift from God.
This is the post that I wrote last year…
http://thegomers.blogspot.com/2010/03/i-hate-st-patricks-day.html
Still praying for you & your family, Dana.
Oh, Lezlie, thank you so much for sharing your heart and that post. It is so hard, and sometimes it seems too hard. There are so many things connected. Give me a windy day, especially if it makes the stove puff a little smoke and you will see me fall apart. I pray you find your way to remember and grieve and find joy all as you need to this season.
This is such a good idea, Dana! Thank you for sharing. We have a birthday on St. Patrick’s Day and I think this would be a wonderful way to celebrate.
So sweet. I’m collecting ideas for making each holiday meaningful. This is a nice one.
I am really thankful to this topic because it really gives useful information.