a little gift

Coming home from a walk a few weeks ago we found a gift for Kate on the doorstep.  There was a plate of cookies (snicker-doodles) and six small plants of red sedum creeper.  Sitting with this gift was a card.  The girls and I gathered on the porch...they ate snicker-doodles while I read the card aloud.

Dear Kate,


How exciting to be baptized...to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and receive the Holy Ghost.  Even though your baptism + confirmation only took a short time your life will be changed forever.  You have actually been working up to these steps for 8 years, walking + following your parent's example and the example of the Savior.  I'm pleased to know you and to watch you make this most important step in your life so far.


Now...I have given you a little gift- it is kind of a strange gift for an 8 year old but it is something I love.  It is a plant that you can plant anywhere in your garden that you have room for ground cover.  This is why I love this plant---It is like a testimony.


1.  It is easy to grow.  It doesn't need tons of sun or tons of water.  It just needs a little of both once it is planted.  Sun (prayer), water (scriptures)
2.  It changes throughout the spring + summer + into the fall.  Sometimes it grows little flowers + then in the fall it changes colors.  Just like our lives we will experience things that will add to our testimony- make it more beautiful, bigger + colorful
3.  It is reliable.  It comes back EVERY year as long as it has had some water + some sun in the summer.  Each year it will get stronger + bigger.  You might even need to divide it + spread it to another area in the garden.


I also made you some snickerdoodles.  First of all because your mother said they were one of your favorites.  The other reason is because I think you are sometimes a little snickerdoodle---cute, fun, giggly + sweet with a touch of cinnamon in your hair.  


May Heavenly Father bless you in this new part of your journey.
Love to you,
Betsy


After I finished reading Ellie responded "that is the best card we have ever read."  They loved the analogies made...and the cookies were delicious.  I loved the thoughtfulness and time a dear friend took to touch the heart of my daughter.