On Friday night, Jeremy and I were out Christmas shopping after eating out at Ted’s Escondido. When we got ready to leave Target, it was drizzling freezing rain, and I realized I didn’t have my hat. This wasn’t just any hat. It was a knit black one I bought for myself as a Christmas present 10 years ago along with a scarf and gloves to match. You know us type A’s, we’ve just got to match.

Jeremy went out to the car to check and see if it was there, and I began my search of Target. At first I retraced our steps through the store thinking it had fallen out of my pocket. No hat.

I began to retrace my steps again, and since God has always been a constant presence to me, as I walked I prayed, “God, I know you have much more important things to worry about right now, but I would really appreciate it if you would help me find my hat. I know I don’t need it, but…”

As I passed an end cap on an aisle, I remembered that I had left my hat in the seat of the buggy we had started out pushing. We had abandoned the buggy at that end cap, so I began looking around in buggies for my hat. Don’t do that. People start to look at you weird. To stop the strange looks of one lady, I  ask her if she had seen a hat to match the scarf I was wearing. She hadn’t. Neither had the three other people I got brave enough to ask.

After a few minutes, it occurred to me someone might have just laid it on a shelf, so I began my search of the toy shelves, too. This was a tedious process as I was searching the boy aisles that Jeremy and I had been shopping in earlier. You don’t know dark boy toy shelves can be until you are looking for something black on them. Good grief!

When I passed the end cap again, I realized that it was in the girl section, where I hadn’t checked yet. I began to go down the pink aisles and as I looked down one, the verse, “You will hear a voice say, ‘This is the way walk in it,'” came to mind. I thought, “If only you could point me down the right row.”

Then I realized that in all that girly pink my black hat should be pretty obvious. On my next turn down a row, I gasped! There was my black hat sitting among a sea of pink! I breathed out a prayer of thanks and then sent off a quick text to Jeremy to let him know I was finally coming.

Though it seems small, God’s answered prayer was a reminder to me just how much he cares about me and about you. It made me think, just imagine how much more he cares for the larger aspects in my life. Did he have to let me find my hat? Absolutely not. But he is a God who delights in helping us and giving extravagantly to us, just as we do our own children.

God’s answer to my prayer also made me realize that if I want to be a parent who imitates him, I too, need to show my boys how much I care about the big things, by beginning with the seemingly insignificant details. I’m going to have to let that lesson stink in. I’m a big goal person, so usually the details pass me by. Today, I’m going to start by slowing down and noticing the small requests my boys give me and answering them as I am able. That way when something bigger happens, they won’t doubt my interest level or question whether it is important enough to bring to me.

As you rush around this Holiday season, ask God to show you how much he cares. Often he answers in unexpected ways. Also remember to slow down and “Oooo” and “Awh” with your children in their excitement over Christmas and the small details that mean so much to them. When they ask something of you or want to show you something, try as much as you can to stop and listen. We are assured of our Father’s love when he listens to our requests big and small, and in the same way we can assure our children of our love. No gift under the tree can bring more joy than that.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas from our family to yours!