One day last week, I went to bed tired and weary and just feeling beaten down by life in general. Oh, wait. That was pretty much every day last week. Anyhoo, one particular night I had trouble falling asleep (again, that was pretty much every night)...so I lay in bed letting my mind drift, counting backwards from 100, and then I decided to pray. I asked the Lord to give me a love note--to give me some little something to remind me that He loves me. A song on the radio that hit me right where I am, or a Bible verse that spoke directly to me, or a thought that encouraged me--or SOMETHING. As I prayed, running through a long list of hurting friends, needs of my own, and needs of my family, I felt anxiety about waking up in time and being alert enough for the demands of the day. The last thing I remember was praying that God would help me wake up well.

Before I even opened my eyes, I knew my love note had arrived. There was my sign from the Lord of His great love for me. Because I woke up to the sound of birds singing outside my window. And, I felt a joy despite what that day held. And, I knew deep in my heart that God Himself had orchestrated that detail of the day just for me. It was His gentle way of starting my day.

I was so encouraged that I have begun to regularly pray for eyes to SEE the love notes He is giving me. That instead of looking for love through imperfect people and fleeting circumstances, I could see His love through the ways He is moving. I am praying this for my children as they have faced reading aloud in class, taking the TAKS test, and completing the daily rigors of a day in their life. I am praying this for my hurting friends who are facing huge and painful obstacles. I am praying that God swoops into their world and they have the eyes to see Him through the kindness of a stranger, the attention of a doctor, or the beauty of nature.

And just this morning on the way to my first of two doctor appointments today, I prayed again for a love note. I nearly laughed out loud when I turned on the radio and David Crowder's How He Loves Me was playing. The line in that song about how heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss felt like the definition of a love note from God. Those moments where you sense that heaven is reaching down into your life here on earth in an unexpected way.

INTENTIONAL challenge: A few years ago, my Aunt Peggy began to collect heart shaped rocks. She is a runner and walker, and on her adventures, she saw a rock shaped like a heart. So, she started looking for more. Lo and behold, she has gathered quite a collection. I think if we begin to look--I mean REALLY look--we too will begin to gather quite a collection of love notes from our Abba Father. Will you pray for eyes to see today? When that rainbow hits the sky will you see it as God's reminder of His presence? When you see the trees blooming, will you remember that He makes all things new and turns the winters of your life into spring? When someone offers a sweet word of encouragement or kindness, will you see that as God Himself reaching into your heart? We can run down the path of life and miss it completely. Or we can keep our eyes peeled for the heart shaped rocks He leaves along the way.