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Walking in the beauty of a moment captured in sharing deep friendship was my delight this week in Oxford. I asked my son, Joel, to think of a fun adventure we could take on a beautiful fall day. He told me of a favorite pub that was at the end of a beautiful 2.5 mile walk. Each step was filled with an array of fall leaves of gold, red, yellow and multi-color. We tramped through some muddy fields, up hill and down, crisp air, sharing secrets, dreams, funny stories, ideals, theology, and all the things that deep friends do share.
Our reward was an old pub, delightfully hidden in a quiet corner amongst old cottages built in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The food was delectable, totally delicious, artfully presented, reasonably priced. Sitting out on the back porch with ceiling heaters keeping us toasty, we looked out upon huge aged trees, flowers swaying in the light breeze.
This week, I chose to carve out the time. I made my choice, because I know choices have consequences. This is the best choice, at times — focusing all of my heart, eyes, attention, love on my precious people that God entrusted into my hands. Not allowing the moment to slip away to the dark abyss of busyness, pretending to listen while having my eyes on the computer, to know and to be known, to trust someone with our heart and know it will be held with grace and tenderness. Getting away to a secret place, the sharing hearts requires a commitment of time — putting away all other distractions. Saying, "At this moment, you are the most important person in the world to me. I love being in your company."
It starts with the rocking chair when you sing lovely lullabies to infants, playing childish games with toddlers, whispering secrets, songs, silly stories, reading sweet books, the playful touch of back rubs, hearing secrets at bedtime, staying up late beyond midnight, listening and allowing teens to question, to pour out, to vent, to share insecurities with out criticism or lectures.
The sharing of life, the pointing them to His truth, His ways, His love, in the warp and woof of life moments — this is the secret of a blessed motherhood.