"Almost three years ago, one of our daughters got married and immediately left with her husband for medical school in a distant city. She was leaving the security of the nest to begin a family of her own. I wondered: "Did I teach her everything she needs to know? Does she know what is most important in this life? Is she prepared to build a happy home?"And then the rest of her talk is a bit of that advice. I loved that idea of starting a little book of advice for my kids.
"As I watched her drive away, I remembered a little journal I gave her on her 17th birthday. It was entitled “Did I Tell You . . . ?” In it, I recorded counsel I had often given her in our late-night conversations. I thought of three additional entries I wanted to add to that little journal to help her make a transition more important and challenging than that of crossing the country: the transition to starting her own home and family." April 2003 Gen. Conf.
My sister-in-law Lisa made a little bedtime story book of stories about her and her husband. And then each year she would add cute little stories about the kids so it became a little personal history stories for the family.
Soooo, a few years ago, I started a book that combines a little of each of these books. Jimmy and I both wrote some fun memories of our childhood but also moments like about our temple sealing, the day we were baptized, and other special moments. And then I also wrote a few blurbs like about how I gained my testimony and other things I'd learned that I wanted to share. We added a few pages about the kids like about the day they were born and cute things about them. We put it in a half-size binder and laminated the pages so it could be a bed-time story book for the kiddos. It's a 'Have I ever told you....' book.
I was reminded of all of this from this new book coming out by Lisa Bearnson. I love the idea behind it:"This scrapbook tells what's really important in life. It gives advice and wisdom and the honest to goodness truth. My goal for this book was for it to be a comforter, adviser and teacher for anyone looking at it--long after I've departed from this life."So whether you scrapbook or not, it's easy enough to sit down for a few minutes every now and then to type:
a few things you've learned,
a few things you've cherished,
a few lovely memories,
a few things you believe,
a few silly or embarrassing moments...
the things your kids would love reading about. And maybe someday they'll realize you were a totally normal person that felt alot like they do... and they'll be strengthened somehow. You just never know... but maybe you'll be strengthened by reading your own thoughts too.
2 comments:
You inspire me to stretch and try something I would never decide to do on my own. Wade told the kids stories from his childhood on a trip in the car once and I kept wishing I was recording it. We must do this for our kids, ourselves and to mark the meaningful things in our lives. Thanks for the challenge and example.
What great ideas Heather. I love the personal stories book. I want to make one for our kids. For the last few months Lexi's favorite bedtime stories have been ones from when I was a little girl. I told so many because she always wanted one she hadn't heard yet, and then the last week or two I've run out of memories. I wish I would've written them down each night and we would have quite the book full! Thanks for the idea.
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