It seems we've been exceptionally busy lately. I can't say we've had more on our plate than usual, but it seems there's just always something to get done. Throughout the day, I find myself completely distracted and I hear the Lord telling me just look in their eyes when they speak to you. What could be so important that I can't just look at them when they are talking to me? Can anyone relate?
I hate the computer and the way my mind (and my eyes) always go there when I wonder about something. Information overload and relationship distractor. This is why I don't do Facebook, but not doing Facebook doesn't keep me away from everything else there that distracts. Again, I can hear the Lord saying "GET OFF!!!" He's not too shy about that one.
I was at the doctor's office the other day and a mom and daughter (maybe 8 years old) came in. Both sat down. Both got out their iPhones and both began playing games. For the 20 minutes I sat there they said maybe two words to each other. As much as my critical nature wanted to judge them, I was able to dig deeper and see a glance into my future. This whole idea of making life easier... Technology... It's really making life more complicated, isn't it? We spend more time with our things than we do with the ones we love. And the ones we love begin to love us less because we took so little time to show and do the love thing. All for convenience... All for "me" time... It's a sad situation.
Lots of ramblings tonight, hopefully I can pull it together. So, we've had a busy season. I don't like busy. I don't do it well. But lately, I'm becoming proficient at it. And it's noticeable. Jason and I talked last night about how we need to make it a priority to spend one on one time with each of the kids. Whether that be over breakfast, a "drink date" as we call it in our home, looking at the stars at night, camping in the backyard, or just going for a bike ride. If we want our children to share their hearts (especially as they get older)... If we want to be able to reach their hearts... We have to just be with them.
So, that is what I just did with my sweet Ella. Gracyn and Hannah were fast asleep, but I knew Ella would be secretly reading in her bed. I caught her red handed, scolded her not in the least bit, and just laid in bed beside her. We laughed like crazy which is something she is really good at doing. I told lots of stories about my brother falling asleep on the toilet when he was a teenager, about a night terror Hannah had in a hotel room when she was two (which at the time wasn't funny, but I can laugh now), about tootin' tornadoes, about having a million babies and getting blown up from the inside out.... All good stuff that 7 year olds can laugh at 'till they burst.
It was a much needed 30 minutes in which I pray the effects will be multiplied. I hope it brings me closer to that sweet little girl who keeps her deepest thoughts largely to herself. I pray it will give her confidence in our relationship so that she can tell me what's on her heart. And I know it will make me so much more aware of the necessity of those moments with each of our little babes.
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