• I dedicated “The Best Kind of Day” to my parents because its message is one they tried hard to instill in their children. While we were growing up, my dad was an amazing example of quiet service. He did not need acknowledgment or praise for the service he gave. We learned from watching him.  My mother was active in teaching us these principles. She always encouraged us to make the kind choice and to look out for others.
      • When the idea for this book first came to my mind, the first thing I envisioned in Jamie’s good day was the verse about her getting the bouncy seat on the bus. This image was taken from my own childhood. I remember the day like it was yesterday. We were headed on a field trip to the planetarium. I happened to sit on a row where the spring was broken in the seat, making it extra bouncy. Each time we hit a speed bump, I flew up into the air. I remember arriving and being weak from giggling the entire drive.
      • Jamie’s great day is really what my childhood ideal day would have looked like. I played softball for one year and had many daydreams about being the one to hit the winning ball, but that never happened. I loved playing kickball at recess in 5th or 6th grade. Spelling was never my strong suit so whenever I did well on a spelling test I was extra proud of myself, and friends sharing their lunch treats was pretty much the best thing that could happen in elementary school. Someone else’s lunch is always better than your own.
      • When quoting Matthew 25:40 I wanted to keep the language of scripture intact. Some of my early readers suggested I change the language to be more kid-friendly so I considered it, but ultimately I decided to keep it as I had it. I feel it is important to have scriptural language become familiar to children so they can begin to decipher the scriptures on their own. To me, having one line of quoted scripture surrounded by easier text helps bridge the gap of understanding.
      • A depiction of Heavenly Father makes an appearance in the book. This was also an important element I wanted to include. I want my children to think of God as what I believe He is, the literal Father of our Spirits, the creator of Heaven and earth, and a physical being. I want them to envision a person who is listening on the other end of prayers and watching over our actions.  I believe this vision of God helps us feel more connected to Him. When we picture a Father who wants to have a conversation with us, prayer becomes more meaningful.
      • Last but not least, I wanted to display that most often our small and simple acts of kindness may go unnoticed by the world. We will not always get a “thank you” from those we serve, especially in the small everyday acts of kindness. Sometimes it feels like no good deed goes unpunished. But I wanted to teach my children that we don’t serve or be kind for the recognition. We do it because that is how we show our love for God and become more like Him. We do it because we love others. I wanted them to know that when we don’t feel seen in the world, we are always seen by our Father in Heaven.