{Interrupted}

“Children should not be told to hurry up when they are young and little …
Certainly {you should not be} telling your children to hurry up because of YOUR agenda …
and as a parent, your children should not be an interruption to you.
That means that the priority in the relationship as a mother to your children is that it is not an interruption, it is not something you can be interrupted from.
In this culture where women and men are so intent on their own lives
– about their ministry, about their focus, about their work that God trained them to be –
brings them to a place where they are fully engaged with their own lifestyle
and their children become an addendum. ”
-Donna Otta, Modern Homemakers

 

 

It’s nap/quiet time for our household. Two of my youngest were just tucked in their beds, already washed and ready for an afternoon rest. Although I was ready to sit and have a quiet cup of tea after a busy morning, the third child- our rambunctious four year old – was not quite ready to take a rest.

“But I just want to play with the kitties, mommy …” she insisted, cradling her favorite in her arms. The little, fuzzy grey kitten clung tightly to my daughter’s dress as she attempted to pull her up to snuggle her. The little kitten’s sharp claws held tighter. Tired and needing my own quiet time, I sighed and gathered the rest of the kittens together and placed them on her bed. I knew a little time on her bed would do my girl some good – and do me some good too. Yet, sometimes, just the simple task of putting the little ones down to rest in the afternoon can take half an hour … with little interruptions along the way, slowing us down. I knew my plans of a three little ones napping at the same time had vanished as the kittens clambered up over my little girl’s bed.
My daughter continued to snuggle the kittens, circling them in her arms, lining them up on her belly. The kittens – one grey and three black balls of fur – did not seem to mind. With blankie in one hand and a kitten in another, my little girl was overjoyed with her few moments of quiet in a house of noisy, even if it was not the intended actual long nap I had planned for her.

 

What has God been teaching me this week?

Interruptions – how do I handle them? Have I been kind with interruptions of what I feel is important? Am I gentle with my words? Not always. It is definitely something I need to work on – not just with children but with all of my life and with all of the interruptions that come my way.

However, with seven children – whom I love and cherish dearly! – in the home, our lives and important schedules and daily tasks are often and repeatedly interrupted. How I handle those “hiccups” in the day is pivotal.

 

Do I handle with grace and tempered patience, even if I know the child has erred or made a mistake?
Just the other day, my now three year old (who rarely has an issue getting to the bathroom in time) had two accidents on the floor – it was during a very hectic morning, school books piled and littered everywhere, noises and vacuums running, cleaning and chores after a weekend of busy – calm and order just did not exist that morning. No wonder she was having issues getting to the washroom! With shame, I can say, however, that I did not handle the interruption to our morning gently. However, the Lord is ever so gently still teaching this old-mamma soul of showing love and mercy – even in the most annoying or silly interruption of the days.

Yes, even the older sisters are learning to handle interruptions from their little siblings. It just comes hand in hand with family life – no matter how big or small or grown up your family may be.

 

“You have to forsake your agenda for the day, for the moment, to parent them.
It may feel like a huge imposition, a hassle. Don’t be impatient or discouraged or irritated because
your children have broken into your ‘little kingdom’.
Pause long enough to say, ‘This is a God-given moment of ministry.’
Remember that God has given you to shepherd and guide and shape this child.
Pray that God will give you new eyes:
eyes that are focused on eternal works of grace when a momentary thing
comes into our lives that changes our plans.”

If you have time, listen here to this lovely podcast. Donna Otto, the speaker, even mentions that as a women, with grown children, you should still embrace the interruptions of your life- caring for your sick neighbour by making a pot of soup and delivering it in time for dinner,  visiting someone and bringing them flowers as they recover from their medical situation, helping a relative with some handiwork around their home, helping the stranger who lost their keys at the grocery store:  even if that changes your momentary plans of getting home, making dinner, cleaning the house, working on your own projects. Embrace the interruptions.

P.S. Much to our dismay (we just love the kitties!), our sweet kittens will be looking for forever homes in a few weeks,
if anyone is interested.
They are so cuddly and … well adjusted to children. 🙂