I eavesdropped the other day.
In a good way, of course. 🙂
I overheard a sweet momma friend from my church sharing a really neat idea with another mom. So I did the only thing I could do…I pretended to be going through my purse and I sort of, well, overheard their conversation.
And this eavesdropping was like the gold mine of all eavesdropping. I overheard the neatest, most special idea for something precious that we can give to our children.
I don’t remember what she called it, but I’m naming it the Mommy’s Voice Tape.
That sounds really weird…really random. But trust me, I know a golden idea when I hear one. I’m basically the master of borrowing everyone else’s ideas.
So what is the Mommy’s Voice Tape?
Basically, it is the gift of you. Mommy. When children are young, they adore their parents – particularly their mommies – in a way that will never quite look the same once they are older. Children look at their mommies and see the most beautiful, comforting, gentle, loving, gracious person in their little universe.
The Mommy’s Voice Tape is a means of reinforcing your affection for your children, as well as encouraging them with Truth and wisdom and comforting them with familiar words and songs. At night after you have gotten your kids settled in their beds, you will play this special tape that you have recorded. It will be 100% your voice and will feature songs, prayers, stories, helpful information that you want them to remember, special messages from you, and Scripture.
During your free time while your multiple young children are all napping peacefully and simultaneously for a four-hour stretch in the afternoon (ha!), map out what it is that you want to include on your tape. Make sure you lay it all out in detail and in the order that you want it to be recorded.
This is how my own Mommy’s Voice Tape goes:
- Sing “As The Deer” (my boys’ favorite hymn).
- Tell stories about when they were babies.
- Read Philippians 2 (the humility chapter).
- Helpful information: their full names and birthdays, their address and phone number, and their mommy and daddy’s full names.
- Sing their favorite nursery rhymes.
- Read I Corinthians 13 (the love chapter).
- Special message from mommy to each child.
- Tell some favorite Bible stories (miracles of Jesus and, of course, David vs. Goliath).
- Sing “Amazing Grace”.
- Closing prayer.
Once you’ve got everything prepared, just pop a blank cassette in your stereo (Yes, I said “stereo”), push “record”, and start talking! I love cassettes because if you mess up you can just push a convenient rewind button and start over.
Ok, it’s time to insert some major truth here:
I CANNOT SING. I DO NOT LIKE THE SOUND OF MY OWN VOICE, EVEN ON AN ANSWERING MACHINE. THIS TAPE WILL NEVER, EVER BE HEARD BY ANYONE BUT MY MOMMY-LOVING BOYS.
And that’s fine. 🙂
While my boys are young, while they are so influenced by whatever I – their beloved mommy – say and do, I want to give them as much love and affection and Truth as I can. So if falling asleep listening to mommy’s voice sing and pray and talk drives home their belief in their Creator’s and parents’ love, then I am willing to make a little bit of a fool of myself on a cassette tape.
So here’s to recording our voices, for good or bad. 🙂
Just remember that you – the beloved mommy – are the first glimpse of God’s love that your children will ever experience. Don’t hold anything back…flood them with love and affection.
I’m a total borrower of everyone else’s good ideas! Any other really neat ones out there? Please share. 🙂
