Behind the Scenes: “Good Job!”

The other weekend we were at the grocery store and Madi helped me pick out fresh flowers for my new work space at home. My new little nook beside the refrigerator needed something beautiful, and at the prompting of my sweet husband, my kiddo walked over and settled on a bright pink bouquet. As she sat at the table during lunch that same day, I cut the flowers to fit the only vase I could find. Flower arranging is not a skill I’ve been given, so I was simply trying to make sure they looked…interesting.

I turned around to put them on my desk as Madi looked up from her peanut butter sandwich. Her little eyes lit up and she exclaimed “Good job Mommy!” with a clap of her hands. My husband and I laughed, and then looked at one another as we realized at the same time that this little girl had become quite the…encourager. We’ve watched her snuggle baby dolls in blankets and sing them sweet songs. I’ve seen her watch her daddy cook dinner and exclaim “Yay Daddy!” when he amazes her with a flip of the pan, making us laugh as she runs to her play kitchen in the corner to try the same move. And when she’s particularly proud of herself, we’ve been known to overhear our little one telling herself “Good job, Madi!”

In that little moment of sloppily arranged flowers, she saw beauty and effort.

Where I saw flaws – a desk too small, a lampshade too tiny, a refrigerator too messy, a chair too uncomfortable, flowers arranged poorly – she saw something else, something worth applauding. And now those flowers? As I sit at that desk and pray each morning that God would make me capable of whatever the day holds, they remind me that I have a little cheering section who thinks I’m worth celebrating, even when I can’t see it.

In our house? There are still plenty of tantrums, tempers and time outs. But we have also committed to being a house where encouraging words are spoken, as intentionally as possible. And it has been a blessing.

Will you join me today & link up a photo and behind the scenes story? Share with us what’s in the edges beyond the frame of your photo, the emotions behind it, what God has revealed to you through it. Let go of the edited version and let your story overlap with ours – beautiful, imperfect, and everything in between. 

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