Be the Hands and Feet

"Momma!  I NEED you!!!!!"

Those are words I hear from Miss Abby daily, sometimes multiple times a day. 

"What do you need Abby?"

"Momma!  I need YOU!"

What she means is she needs her "love tank" filled up (a term we used with Bear when he was her age).  She needed to snuggle, hug, kiss and be reminded that someone here loved her.  It takes less than 10 minutes and then she is a happy little girl again.

Sometimes, like today, my love tank runs low.  Norman has been working 16 hour days.  In the end, it works out really well for our family because he gets more days off a week, but for those days he is gone, I'm it.  Sure, I've got teenagers.  But they are usually too busy trying to kill each other to have a coherent conversation with good-ole-mom.  Bear and Abby love to talk and tell me all about their adventures and the things they saw on TV and the birds outside.  As long as I am HERE their world is all good and they can live their lives, you know, like little kids do.

A 2 year old and a 5 year old aren't supposed to be concerned with their mother's mental and emotional health (and believe me, they aren't lol).  Honestly, there isn't anything really wrong with my mental or emotional health.  Not anything that doesn't happen to every mother out there, possibly daily.

I'm lonely.

I miss adult interaction.  I don't always want someone to NEED me (I know I will miss that but we are talking about NOW).  I would love to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee and a few chapters of my current read without 15 interruptions.  I KNOW these days are short and I should enjoy them and all that, I got the memo.  Believe me, I know.  I've got teenagers, remember?

I imagine that I'm not alone.  So, I've been trying to think of ways that I can recognize these "symptoms" in other moms and be a Jesus hug to them.  Jesus is LOVE, but WE are His hands and feet here on earth. 

Look around at your circle of friends, your neighbors, the new people at church.  Let's think of ways that you (and I) can be an encouragement to them. 
*send a random "glad you are my friend" or "thinking of you" card (or text/email if you are out of cards)
*plan that playdate  -----  I know that I almost never get out of this house without at least 1 child so friendly coffee get-togethers don't work for me.  Playdates do :)  Your friend won't care if your home is a mess.  She will just appreciate that you took the time to connect with her.
*make the phone call --- I am the worst about this.  I hate talking on the phone.  There is always someone here wanting something or bothering me and I always worry that I'm bothering the person I called, but sometimes a call can be such a bright spot in my day!
*be a blessing  ---- Do you have a hobby, skill set or talent that could bless someone in your life?  Use it!  God gave it to you for a reason!!!

I guess the most important thing is to CONNECT with the people around you.  I know that without my 2 besties I would be lost! 

It is February, so it is "Random Acts of Kindness" month.  Don't forget to connect with those around you....a smile, a kind word, the littles things add up to a hug, they really do make a difference!