Taking Care

This morning a certain three year old climbed in bed with us just before my alarm went off.  It was a chilly morning so I turned off the alarm and snuggled in with her. I heard brad get up shortly after to start his day. He returned after about an hour or so with a hot cup of coffee and reminder that I had turned my alarm off. He knows I don’t like to lose some of these beautiful early morning hours. But it is still too chilly to sit on my step, and I’ve already heard the girls go out to tend to the animals, so here I am snuggled in my bed with a warm cup of coffee this morning.

It’s being taken care of that strikes me the most this morning. I am a person who takes care of all those around me, at any cost! This can be a gift and a curse. At times it has caused great distress as I have often abandoned my family to help others. I am learning to find balance in that. I love helping people, cooking for them, cleaning for them, running errands, and being a listening ear are all part of who I am and how I desire to serve others. But there is a line that can be crossed if I am neglecting my family to do so. I am praying through my steps of 2021 as I desire still to be a light and a helper in this world, but also recognizing that I have a family that needs their mama to stay home just a bit more. 

Last year I was reminded by a dear friend, that sometimes I need to be taken care of at times and that’s ok. As mamas we don’t always like to hear this. I believe myself to be strong and capable and mostly not in need of anyone helping me. But what I’ve come to realize is every so often it’s nice for someone to do something for me. Brad has taken to making me a cup of coffee in the morning and bringing it into the bedroom just before the alarm goes off. It’s something he hasn’t done since we were early married, and it is a sweet gesture of love, knowing my love affair with coffee!

Our official first week of the new year was hijacked by a positive Covid case in our extended family with whom we’ve had contact. We have been laying low, and so far have stayed healthy. But this week has allowed me the opportunity to be alone with my thoughts, ALOT! And plenty of time for prayer and contemplation about what I desire to see change in my life, and the life of my family and this coming year. Mostly I desire for us to be a family of closeness and prayer. A family who desires to be together, work together, serve together, and enjoy life together. This is not easy with a family of our size and all of the side roads that seem to be appearing on the pathway as our older children find their own way in life. But I seek to instill in them the desire to care for others, especially family first, in doing so we are strengthened from within to serve in this world. If there was ever a time this world needed taking care of it now it’s now. These are tumultuous times. I urge you start your day filling yourself up with the word of God, let us be on our knees, as we are the ones who will bring light to the darkness, God is the same yesterday today and forever, but we are called to action! We must serve, we must take care of those in need, we must be the light!