Savor the Moment

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

A little while ago I was at my Mom to Mom group, and it was just about that time when the host would give out a “Mommy Merit Badge”. These badges were usually a humorous play on the Girl Scout badges you would receive as a child, but they usually addressed some type of humorous, yet trying event that goes along with motherhood. Each woman who had dealt with that particular thing that week would raise their hand, and each mom with a raised hand would receive her badge.

Out of all the badges that were given out, only one has really stuck out in mind. The Mommy Merit Badge that was given out for…taking some time that week to sit down (or run around or get on the floor) and play with your kid(s). This didn’t mean that you taught this something new (i.e. homeschool, helped with homework), but that you genuinely played with them for at least 30 minutes out of the whole week. This struck me! Isn’t this sometimes the hardest thing to do as a mom?! What about the laundry? What about making meals? What about attempting to clean the house? What about teaching them to read? What about… (you fill in the blank)?

The host that morning joked, “To them it doesn’t matter that they had clean clothes, or that you made them something to eat, or that your house is clean, or that you taught them something new for school. They just want you to play with them.” Hearing that comment was God’s way of reinforcing something that he had already put on my heart earlier that week: to savor the time that I have with my kids. To enjoy them and love them for who they are right now…quirks and all. To let them know that I enjoy being their mom (most of the time LOL), and that I am thankful to be able to just hang out with them.

Moms, in the midst of the craziness, let’s try to take a few minutes each day to put everything else aside and give our kids a few moments of our undivided attention. Years down the road, we may just be surprised by the moments they treasured the most…the times when we stopped our busyness…for them. J

Prayer,

Heavenly Father, thank you so much for our kids. Whether we have one, two, or eight, they are all a blessing from you. Lord, sometimes the hardest thing to do is to just pause and give them a moment of our undivided attention. Help us to do so. I know Martha made you a wonderful meal, but Mary was blessed by the time she spent at your feet. Help us to know when to work and when to laugh and play. Help us spend time with you being filled up by your Holy Spirit, and then help us pour out your love on our kids. Lord, please help me to be a good mom, a loving mom, a disciplined mom, a tough mom (when I have to be), but also a fun mom. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.