Are your kids in bed?

And do you have some popcorn? This is going to be a long one...


I suppose you could call it IRONIC, although I am often hesitant to use that word out of fear I am using it wrong. HUMBLING, however, is also an adequate description; it is also a word I understand - all to well sometimes.


This humbling experience all started a few weeks ago as I was talking to a friend and she mentioned that she had stopped going lots of places in order to spend more "concentrated time" with her kids. A statement made seemingly in passing, but that sent off alarms in my head. Do I spend "concentrated time" with my kids? Sometimes. But I spend more time getting them ready, getting bags packed, sticking them in their seats, going someplace that is supposed to be fun where I am stressed out trying to keep everyone happy and under control, picking up lunch on the way home, watching a video, and sending them off to bed so I can contemplate if we just went to the library or did I go several rounds in a boxing ring? Either way, I think I would feel the same way at the end. But, getting out of the house means not playing with those same old toys, not having to continually stare at all the parts of my house that I have not found the time to clean, and opportunities for picking up yummy snacks while in the car. So, I ultimately ignore the I need more concentrated time with my kids alarm, in favor of making my days go by faster by being out of the house.


Skip ahead to Monday, of last week, a very busy week with lots of things planned. My kind of week. Caleb has a rough encounter with a friend on the playground where he tells this little girl he does not want to play with her (I have lots of excuses for him, but ultimately this is also a little IRONIC and HUMBLING considering my earlier post). I deal with the situation the best I know how, and march on through our busy week stopping briefly to write a post about how Canaan is a homebody and it is really crampin' my style (oh, the IRONY). We end up on Thursday with an even rougher playground encounter for Caleb, and then spend the rest of that day doing some play therapy with his cars and working through a few issues that he is having. I put him to bed, feeling not beaten up and frustrated; but content and at peace. During naptime, I have a conversation with the local therapist about the situation on the playground and she just happens to use the words "concentrated time". If these two friends knew each other, I would have felt like I was experiencing an intervention. And I suppose it was. Just not from them. But from Someone who cares more about my children and they way they spend their days than even I do.


So on Friday of last week, I stayed home. All day. And I was reminded that concentrated time at home means having more chances to talk through some friend issues with Caleb while we play with those same old cars, relishing the fact that Canaan loves nothing more than me talking to him while I fold clothes, and remembering that Silas is not even two years old and even though he is the big brother he still likes to cuddle in my lap and be fed a snack sometimes.


So last week, I was HUMBLED. Humbled by the fact that I wrote a post about my annoyances with Canaan being a homebody when really that is what God wants me to be right now. And humbled by the reminder that the Maker of Heaven and Earth cares about me and my children and how we spend our days enough to show me that home life is more easily balanced when we spend more time at home.