The PRESENT

The word PRESENT is what we call a HOMONYM in the English language.  Meaning, it has multiple meanings for the same word.  My first grader often finds this either annoying or funny as she is learning to read and comprehend new things. When she encounters a homonym, silent letters, or  K and C that sound alike, she often asks me WHY???  My response.....Because the English language is stupid. (is there a better answer??)  To be completely honest Spanish makes so much more sense!!!   That said....HOMONYMS sometimes PRESENT us with an "AHA MOMENT."  A sudden revelation how things relate to each other in a way we had not previously thought of.   I had one of those this past week.
  Since the week before Thanksgiving  I have been busily checking PRESENTS off my childrens Christmas lists (as well as my own)  in hopes to not leave shopping to the last minute and avoid feeling stressed during this very magical time .   As I purchased PRESENT after PRESENT I began to really reflect on what it is I REALLY WANTED MOST THIS YEAR!!!   WHAT PRESENT did I want to give to myself????   WHAT PRESENT DID I MOST WANT TO GIVE TO MY CHILDREN???? Then is dawned on me..............

The most precious PRESENT we can give to ourselves and our loved ones is............. to be PRESENT in the PRESENT!!!!

(Did you like all those HOMONYMS???

As a busy mother of three (and a third =) )with a husband in grad school, I have a long list of things to do that often occupy my every PRESENT moment.   I have taken notice lately that while I might "look" like I am listening to my 4 yr old tell me another account of Spiderman or my Six year old babble about her day at school I am not really PRESENT.   And guess what???  THEY CAN TELL!!!!  Even my 23 month old baby has picked up the phrase "Listen to ME!!!"  and he's not even 2!!!!   Time for mom to re-evaluate her priorities and her focus.

MY CHILDREN and my SPOUSE are the things I treasure most.  Our lives are busy......but often just because when we are doing one thing....my brain has moved onto the next.   I have come to realize that by not being PRESENT in the PRESENT I am missing the moments that bring the most JOY!  Just this morning my four year old came to tell me that his brother had a dirty diaper.......for the next five minutes I chased my little William around the kitchen table while he yelled "STINKY STINKY" at the top of his lungs.   It would have been a lot quicker to corner him and drag him in to have his diaper changed....but in five minutes time we were all laughing hysterically and still ended up with the job done.  Earlier my Jeffrey had come upstairs for breakfast to find me on the couch reading a book.  I could have jumped up to get his cereal before he asked for it....but instead I put down my book and opened my arms.....into which he quickly snuggled.  Soon enough, he (and his siblings) were asking for cereal....but not before I had squeezed in a cuddle with my tender boy.
Earlier today I read another blogpost that I loved in which a mother describes how her own mother had treated her :

When I was growing up, my parents never treated me as an annoyance.  They were so loving and patient with me, and I never went to bed wondering where I stood with them.

Many times, I would walk into my mom's room and find her kneeling at the side of her bed in prayer.  She would immediately stop, look up at me, and hold out her arms so I would come give her a hug and tell her what I needed.

One day I asked, "Mom, what do you tell God when I interrupt your prayer?"

She replied, "I just say that my child needs me, and I'll be right back."


I am sure that God wants us to be PRESENT in our lives.  He wants us to love and enjoy the wonderful family and friends that we have been blessed with to the fullest.  The people we love don't feel loved when they think we are not paying attention to them.  Even my (almost) two year old knows when I am distracted!!!  My six year old often chides me "Mom??? you're not listening"  I am listening.....but I am not PRESENT.  My children DESERVE a mother who is PRESENT.  After all....do  we feel truly LOVED by someone who acts like the only "sort of" care about them???  No.  We don't.  I want my children to feel my love.  To KNOW I love them!!!  I WANT to be PRESENT in the PRESENT....but HOW??? How in the world do I change my mindset????  How do I change my "always doing something" personality to slow down and be PRESENT in the PRESENT.

I have been earnestly thinking and (praying) about this the past few days.  Then came these wise words into my mind......THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT!!!!  (go ahead and laugh....Steve Jobs is sending me inspiration from heaven.  LOL) Thats it!  My IPHONE!!!  The soulution was that easy. I started to jot down funny little moments I spent with my kids in my I phone Lists. (because you KNOW I'm never without my phone).  To my surprise, what I noticed, is that by LOOKING for those little moments on a daily basis I was HAPPIER!!!!!  I STOPPED MY BULDOZER BRAIN in mid-thought to EJNOY what was happening in my house at the PRESENT.   I sure laughed a lot more as I watched my kids without annoyance and allowed them to do things in their own way and own time.   Jeffrey rolling himself in his blanket to the bathroom to brush his teeth may have taken 2 more minutes but instead of nagging him to HURRY I had a good laugh instead.  The same thing when Caitlyn was "Bum dancing" her way down the stairs to bed after family prayers.   I smiled....I laughed......I was PRESENT.   and you know what???.....It felt like a PRESENT. 

  I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for his patience with me as I learn to me a mother, a wife, and a follower of Jesus Christ.   He is EVER PRESENT in my life.  He always answers.  He is always there.  I hope in this Season of PRESENTS I can keep Him in my PRESENT.  I know that is the greatest PRESENT I can give to Him.