There are sweet moments like yesterday where I’m walking through a park hand-in-hand with my five-year-old that I feel like we have all the time in the world left with our girls at home. Then, there are moments like this morning watching Adi strumming her guitar where my heart stops short and a sense of panic ensues. These years go so very quickly.
We’re in this beautiful phase where my almost seventh-grader sends me notes of admiration, lavishes me with words of affirmation and wants to be just like me. We were reading in II Timothy today the words of Paul to Timothy, who is like a precious son to him, “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness...But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it…”
Paul’s words coupled with the realization that time is short, honestly terrified me a bit. I wonder how often she’s learning that its ok to be snappy with people if your environment isn’t in order, or that her book, her game, her work is more important than the heart of the person who is interrupting it.
Following Jesus through the Gospels we see a man who is constantly interrupted from whatever is in front of him...his teaching, his dinner, his conversations, he’s even interrupted from interruptions. And he looks deeply into the eyes of the interrupter, doesn’t pretend to be listening, doesn’t keep reading or playing on his stone tablet.
He sees their hearts, meets their needs and makes them feel loved.
I’m praying for grace to be a bit more like Paul and a whole lot more like Jesus so that I’m not as nervous that my girls will turn out like me. I want them to know that they are seen, heard and cherished. I want them to know that they aren’t an interruption but gifts to be treasured.
We aren’t promised tomorrow so I think, I’ll just start with today.
Gotta go...someone needs me.