Time Out

The other morning as the boys jumped into and promptly began tossing and turning, kicking and wiggling in our bed,

--no need for an alarm clock here, good morning 6am--

Connor sat straight up, looked at me in the eyes and said (I kid you not): 

"Jesus wants you to have a time out."

 Perhaps this came from wanting to exert his own power in control in discipline, or out of his amazingly sly and dry sense of humor, but it took me off guard.

And I saw that he was absolutely right.  Jesus does want me to have a time out.  Because life just gets too busy, too complicated, too dark, too confusing sometimes.  Just within the last month my life and the lives of those I care about have been full of cancer reports, child custody hearings, moving dilemmas, job losses, theology debates, pregnancy disappointments.  As the cares and concerns compound, I find myself feeling swept over by the inability to take away hurt, pain, disappointment.  My heart bleeds.  Overtime, what do you do with it all this?  

Take a time out.

Of course.  Thanks, Connor.

Being still, instead of trying to rationalize, overanalyze. Releasing the need to fix situations, or feeling guilty for not knowing what to say.

Because sometimes...there just aren't any words to say.

The only thing, the best thing, that I can do is to be still and release these hurts and pains to the One who loves and cares for these even more that I.

Far greater.

My job is not to fix. It is to help where I can, offer support and continued love...and to release them into the greater Light that shines forth peace beyond understanding and comfort beyond measure.

For this is the greatest gift I can offer.