Dear Alice - A Letter to My Daughter

-photo captured by Heidi Lynne Photography

Dear Alice,

I miss you since you fell south into that rabbit hole.  Things just aren’t quite the same around here.  Where is that girl with her head always lost in a book?  Where is that girl perched upon her stool by the window with a cup of tea and stories to tell?  Off on an adventure are you?  Following a dream?

There will be many signs leading you every which way.  I’m quite certain of that.  Which way will you go?  

        Follow The Way.  And everything will be okay.

Remember who you are.   Look in the mirror.  See that girl.  Fearfully and wonderfully made.   See yourself as who you want to be.  No matter how small or tall you feel on any given day, find the spirit within you.  What is it telling you?  Remember who you are.

Listen for His voice.  You will hear other voices too.  Be wary.  “Follow your heart?” Oh wise one...beware of this voice.  For hearts sometimes lead us astray, right into the queen of hearts trap.  Guard your heart, my girl.  Put on your pure white apron of armor.  Keep it pure.  Remember your values, the lessons of obedience by the big copper beech tree.  They were written and  told not to bore you or to keep you from experiencing joy.  They were written so that you can experience true joy at God’s appointed time.  Don’t be in a rush to be a grown up too fast too soon.  Hold fast to your innocence.  It’s a priceless treasured gift. 

How old is your soul, Lou Lou?  You are but the experiencer of the heart.  You see and you feel its energy. Keep your heart wide open.  Let those experiences run through you, the good and the bad.  Don’t dwell on the bad or cling too long to the good.  If they linger too long you will miss the present moments right in front of you.  Be present.  It is there that you will hear His voice and know which way to move forward.

Be wise dear one. Enjoy this new found freedom and exploration of trying on many hats (and shoes) of different sizes, shapes, and styles. But caution.  “Eat me. Drink me.” notes are all over the place in that new wonderland.  You will become curious and curiouser.  They will make you feel as if you are from a different world.  Perhaps braver or happier at first.  But they can make you do things that you could regret later. “If you drink much from a bottle marked ‘poison’ it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later.”  Make good choices. 

Keep your eyes wide open.  You will meet some strange characters as you already have.  A quirky girl with a ring of Saturn that spins and glows in the night while you try to sleep.  A man with eyes so bright.  They speak to your soul,  telling you,  "You are going places." Every interruption in your day is an opportunity for a Divine encounter.  Look for their messages.  Ask who you are to bless.  Ask what lesson there is for you to learn or what lesson there is for you to teach.   Again make good choices.  They determine the places you go, not to mention where you wake up.

Find gratitude in each cup half full.  Take time to daydream over a cup of java.  It is there that you will find inspiration.  It is there that you will find kindred spirits.

You have drawn fruit that reflects God’s light for all to see.  Now be the good fruit of the Spirit, sharing your good gifts.  Let your light shine for all to see.  Be authentic.  Don’t let anybody knock over your fruit bowl.  

Pray.  That is where you will find the strength to persevere. “Believe in six impossible things before breakfast.”  Go to church.  Look up at the light coming through the stained glass windows.  Let the colors penetrate your soul.

My dear, God has dreams for your life, plans to prosper you, to give you hope and a future.  Follow His dreams for your life with passion.  And listen carefully for His voice when he tells you to wake up at 7:05.  Waking up from a dream within a dream is a feat in itself.  Get a good night’s sleep.  Then hear the whisper of "Talitha Koum".

Pay attention.  Be alert.  Is your body off kilter?  Do you have an anxious heart?  Your body may be telling you that there is something not right with your soul.  Talk to Jesus.  Make it right.  Put the butterflies fluttering about your tummy in formation so you can soar.

I hope you find comfort knowing that mom and dad and sisters are cheering for you as you paint the roses and many a masterpiece.  I am confident that when you leave your little wonderland and find your way back home to your castle, Wonderland will be better because of you.

Everything will be okay.  Never fear.  When you stumble down a wrong path or enter into a wrong door God will give you a way out.  He will leave you a key.  He will give you His hand and pick you back up if you will just reach out and grab it.  He wants you to be a featured character in his story.  Will you say yes to Him?

Call home often.  Your mom enjoys a good story and looks forward to the next chapter about how her little girl woke up and saw the sun.  Oh be happy, little girl.    Even though your soul is growing and maturing, always keep a piece of that little girl close tight in your locket.  Remember that confident, courageous, funny, delightful. little girl that captured her own share of hearts with the words, “I woke up.”  BE that happy little girl.

Love,

Mom

“Good advice. If I listened earlier, I wouldn’t be here. 

But that’s just the trouble with me. 

I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it.”

-and she is off... chasing dreams & learning her lessons well in her southern wonderland of art school. while Mama learns the lessons of letting her go and trusting that God's got it 24/7.  


-I Won't Give Up, Jason Mraz ♫