Spend any time in our home, and you will become keenly aware of my children’s interests just by examining the floor. Riley leaves the bobby pins and ponytail holders that she uses for dance everywhere. Jed distributes his NBA and NFL card collections throughout. Clay has developed a love of building with Legos this year. Those bricks rarely find their way into the storage box. Alex is obsessed with racecars. If the cars are not in a backpack he carries most of the time, they are strewn about the living room.

Each item is small, but believe me when I tell you that each one can have a big impact. If you sweep the kitchen floor, you will need to inspect the dustpan before you dump it, or you’ll basically be throwing money away. Be wary of vacuuming because you might break the machine if you suck up any of those items. Step barefoot on one of those Legos, you will drop to your knees.

Even though it is annoying to pick up the same things over and over after asking the kids to put their things away, these little pieces serve as reminders that each of our kids has a distinct personality. Riley is constantly dancing in the front hallway when she’s not at dance class. Jed writes his own books about sports. Clay makes fantastic creations with Legos. And Alex is so proud of those racecars, to the point that he showed one of them to every person at Disney World.

Sometimes, I think we convince ourselves that we are small in the grand scheme of life. We get lost in our busy schedules, doing things for others, often feeling unappreciated by those with whom we work or share a home. We wonder if what we do matters.   Unfortunately, those thoughts lead us to feel defeated.

But just like those tiny objects around my home, we make a huge impact in the world just by being ourselves. We have distinct personalities and voices. We have specific gifts to offer those around us. We are worthy of friendship and love.

During this time of year, many of us celebrate God’s miracles. We rejoice in the ways God has come near to the human race in the past, or even became part of it for a time in the birth of Jesus. At the root of this season is God’s love for each of us. A love that is real and present and reaching out to us today and always. A love that is constant even when we feel as though we are insignificant.

We are uniquely positioned to influence people and places and the lives of our communities because we are special and important. We are not small. We are loved.