As children, we come to believe
that our parents are super-sized. They are always there with ready advice, a
tissue to wipe our tears and a new craft project or game to chase away boredom.
As we age, we start to notice
that these super-Saints are human, and that they let us down more often than
come to our rescue. This disillusionment with them colors much of the rest of our
life, unless we grant them the same grace and forgiveness that we want them to
bestow on us.
We have no idea how hectic our
parents' lives really are, how many obligations are on their shoulders and how
diverse their responsibility really is until we are old enough to "walk a
mile" in their shoes.
In our younger years, we judge
them on how well they meet our needs. Of course, they are the only parents we
have, unless our grandparents are equally involved in our life; so it is normal
to expect them to be present with us and for us all of the time.
As parents, we allow the
incessant drum of our daily to-do list to distract us from breathing deeply,
entering God's rest and enjoying each moment of time as He provides it for us.
We forget that our children are
only with us for a few years, but the mountain of dishes in the sink, the
footprints on the floor and the laundry piling up in the baskets will still be
there tomorrow.
I am so glad that the Lord taught
me this lesson while my children were very young. Like my mother, I made sure
that I was home to greet them every day when they came home from school. God
even gave me four years to homeschool them as we traveled the interstates
crisscrossing the eastern USA.
We always made time to watch
their sports team's valiant efforts to win championships; to participate in
their Scouting activities even when we traveled; and to take them out
individually for a milkshake and a chat when their behavior clued us in that
something was really bothering them, or when they had a victory that they
wanted to share with us.
I cherish those memories and I am
grateful that God and my husband allowed me to be a "stay at home"
mom all of those years. This allowed me the opportunity to consistently be
available to listen to their unhurried worries, concerns and triumphs.
Prayer:
Father God, even as an adult,
pregnant with my firstborn, I wanted my Mommy first and foremost. Although she
had an emotionally distant personality, she always knew how to let me know that
nothing in her life was more important to her than my needs, and the
necessities of my three little brothers. Thank You for allowing me to pass on
this tradition to my children as well.
Please, use this post to convict
or to encourage other parents to give their children focused attention and to
let the to-do list wait until tomorrow if necessary.
Remind us that getting our
children involved in completing those incessant chores gives all of us a sense
of community and camaraderie, and allows our children to realize that they are
needed and appreciated at home.
Thought for the Day:
Glib and hurried words or gifts have
no real meaning; but when we give the gift of our focused attention, this makes
a lasting impression on the ones we love.
