I love that my children want to talk to me. Yet I can struggle with distraction at times. They have so much they want to say, and they’re so animated when they say it! Right now, my almost two year old is starting to jabber a lot—He knows what he’s saying, but mama’s still struggling to understand. It doesn’t mean I don’t delight in the fact he wants to talk to me, though. Even as I delight in his attempts to communicate, I’m reminded of how quickly I can start to feel like there’s too much communicating from my 3 and 5 year olds…but they just want to talk to mama too! And that’s a beautiful thing. I’m learning that even when I feel like I have something important I’m trying to do, it’s likely more important for me to put it down when they say, “Mommy, you’re not listening to me.”
Those words give me pause. Especially because they often come when I have a phone in my hand…I want my children to know they have my attention and love. But I’m facing the real struggle of how to make sure that happens in the age of the smartphone. I’m thankful though, that God always listens to us, and that He gives us little ones who have no shame in calling out habits that might be better changed. Children really can be the best accountability partners!
I love my children. But I am finite. My ears (and brain) cannot always process everything each one wants to say to me each day, and I tend towards distraction. Isn’t it such a wonderful gift of God’s love that He always has time and attention for us? He wants to hear us. And the small measure of delight and love I feel when my children want to talk to me, He must feel 1,000 times more. This amazes me. I’m not sure I grasp it fully, but I’m thankful to have the loving ear of the King of the universe. I want to remember that I do, and grow in imitating His loving attentiveness to my children!