Small Things That Mean So Much

I missed the phone call when it came.
I did not listen to the voicemail until later.
It was a friend with whom I do not talk to routinely.
It was a friend with whom I enjoy catching up.

There was something in her voice.
I wondered if this call was more than just a catch up call.
I was heading out and decided that I would call her while I was driving.
I assured her at the outset that I was hands free.

Everything OK? I asked her.
Yes, she said but I knew there was a, but.
She brought to my remembrance a sweet woman who used to teach children in our former church.
That is how I knew her all those years ago.

My friend and this sweet woman used to teach together.
This sweet woman was much older than the two of us.
She was both a mentor and a friend to many.
When she retired from teaching, she taught the children at church on Wednesday morning.

When the moms went to Bible study, the children had their own lesson.
Mrs. Z loved the Lord and loved His Word.
She taught God’s Word in such a way that it came alive for the children.
I remember that she even used a felt board to depict the Bible stories she taught.

My oldest son loved Mrs. Z.
The feeling was mutual.
Mrs. Z knew that both of my sons were with me as I was in Bible study.
I also had my four month old little daughter with me as well, but she was in the nursery.

I would hear about the Bible stories that Mrs. Z taught.
Somehow, the felt board, with the little felt figures, was the perfect way to tell the Story.
For little hands, the soft figures were colorful and easy to move around.
Mrs. Z knew how to captivate young minds with truth.

One day, when I went to the classroom to pick up my oldest son, I saw Mrs. Z.
She was holding a book, which she placed in my hand.
This is a gift for you, she said quietly.
I hope it will bless you, she continued.

I thanked her and knew that I would like anything she chose for me.
When I got my three children situated in their car seats, I looked more closely at the book.
Mrs. Z had written something on the first page.
For Kevin’s mother…

I could not read the rest of her writing because my eyes were teary.
This precious woman did not even know my first name.
She only knew me as Kevin’s mother.
She knew I had other children but she had my oldest son in her class.

I was so touched.
The book was a devotional written by Joni Eareckson Tada.
It was called, Diamonds In The Dust.
There were 366 devotions, one for each day including the leap year.

When my eyes cleared, I read the rest of her words to me.
May this book be a blessing to you.
It was dated, March 6, 1996.
What a blessing this book has been to me over the years.

The friend who called me wanted to tell me that Mrs. Z had died.
My friend thought of her and wondered if she still lived in the house we knew.
After some searching, my friend found her obituary.
Mrs. Z had died two months ago.

My heart hurt.
My friend and I had planned to visit Mrs. Z.
That visit never happened.
The busyness of life interfered with our plans.

I would not allow myself to dwell on the visit that never happened.
Just think, we will be with Mrs. Z for all eternity in heaven, I found myself saying.
I did not say that as a consolation, I said it because it was true.
The visit that did not happen here will happen in heaven one day.

My friend remembered when she had visited Mrs. Z’s house many years ago.
As Mrs. Z took her through the rooms, she challenged her to come up with a Bible verse.
My friend, and some other teachers who were there, had to think of verses for each room.
Some rooms were easy, my friend remembered, but we were stumped in other rooms.

Entering the laundry room, my friend knew the verse she would say.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
(Psalm 51:7)
Entering Mrs. Z’s bedroom a verse came to mind.
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.(Psalm 4:8)

Mrs. Z was the incarnation of a Mother Theresa quote I once heard.
Go out and do something small for God.
Everyone seems to want to do large things, grandiose things.
Mrs. Z wanted to reach one child at a time for the Lord.

Mrs. Z’s heart cared about the young mothers as well.
She may have taught the children during Bible study but she cared about their mothers.
She cared enough about one mother, whose name she did not even know.
She cared that I would be immersed in the Word of God so that I could teach it to my children.

Mrs. Z was a tireless servant of the Lord Jesus.
So many of us were the recipients of her servant’s heart.
She loved us well because she loved the Lord first.
I want to continue her legacy; I want to honor her memory.

I want to do something small for God.
That something small, in God’s hands, will be mightily used for the Kingdom.
Mrs. Z lived her life in small ways.
Those small ways rippled through generations.

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of Mrs. Z.
May I somehow stand on her shoulders and affect Your Kingdom in small ways.
May someone else come along and stand on my shoulders.
May Your Kingdom grow because all of us who love You, serve You in small ways.
Amen.