I got the opportunity to meet up with a group of women that, about 2-3 years ago, were a frequent source of encouragement & support to me. These women from my old Wednesday night small group helped me through a lot of ‘stuff’ back then, and I’m very grateful for these women. But as I said, it’s been a while since we’ve had the pleasure of meeting together weekly, and thankfully, God provided an evening that we could carve out a few hours to reconnect with each other.

It was a sweet, precious time of fellowship. One my heart needed badly.

Anyways, one of the women had their little girl with her. She’s newly married, but has been a single mom for some years now.

Strength, that’s all I can say, especially now having my own. I can’t imagine doing it without my husband.

Her little girl had just gotten back from a visit with her dad, who has custody of her older sister. At one point in the evening, as we all sat outside enjoying the beautiful spring evening, she came and crawled up in her mother’s lap, obviously sad about something. And they whispered together as she held her, swinging back and forth in the porch swing. As they whispered , I couldn’t help but sit back and observe.

Since Nat was born, I find myself intrigued at watching other parents and their interactions with their kids.

Then the little girl started to cry, and my friend told her, “Honey, it’s okay to be sad. I know you miss your sister.” As tears rolled down her cheeks, her mom reached over and softly wiped them away.

It was a beautiful, heart-wrenching moment. Motherly comfort. Reassurance that what she was feeling was okay, but that she was also there to help her through it – to not stay there.

It made me think about Natalie. It made me realize that it will tear my heart in two when she cries, and I can’t fix it. When I can’t make the feelings go away. But it also made me realize that I have been blessed. I get to be the one to pull her into my lap, to hold her and wipe away her tears.

WOW. Really? Why me? Why do I get the honor of care-giving for this priceless, precious little girl?

Humbled, I prayed a prayer of gratitude, thanking God for all that He has given me.

When life is so busy, it’s easy to lose sight of all the unique, amazing moments we’ve been given, opportunities to step into the roles that God has placed us in & to fulfill a little bit of the purpose He has for us. Being a part of His story -wiping one tear away at a time.

This thought came to mind the other morning as I was getting ready for work – just a seemingly random thought at the time. However, as I contemplated it more, this phrase I’ve heard before – that you pay for convenience, it hit me in a new way. We do pay for convenience….we pay more money for the newest gadgets that offer the promise that they’ll save us time or effort, will help us accomplish what we need to do in a faster, more efficient way.

And believe me, I like faster and efficient. I don’t like to waste my time doing something if it can be done in a ‘better’ way.

But I just wonder if I’ve ever really counted the cost of convenience – not just financially – but what I’m giving up when I’m doing things ‘the easier way.’ What experiences am I now able to avoid that God may have used to build my character, to grow my discipline, to produce perseverance in me? What depths in relationships do I miss by sending quick text messages and emails, instead of taking the time to even make a phone call or sit down over coffee? What am I now exempt from because the easy way is available, more accessible than ever?

“Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it.” – Matthew 7:13

And I think about my daughter – all the conveniences this world will offer her – and what she may miss out on because of this.

Lord, please grant us (me) wisdom and discernment to choose what is best over what is available and permissible, to choose Your way over the world’s and even my way. Give us Kingdom eyes to know what is of real value.

In Jesus’ Name I pray and place my trust,
-jh

Lord, please

I’m unplugging from
the things that keep me from You,
that draw away my attention, my time….my heart.

I’m unplugging from
the sources that tell me to compare,
to rate myself against someone I was never meant to be,
and to forget that I find my identity in You.

I’m choosing to
not go to those places anymore
that produce anxiety and fear
because they speak lies about Who you’ve created me to be.

I’m unplugging from
the world
and
instead
I’m choosing to plug into Truth.