I’ve had many jobs in my “pretty long” lifetime. I’ve babysat, cleaned houses, house sat, sold tickets at a movie theater, worked in a doctor’s office, registered nurse to name a few. But the BEST and MOST REWARDING job I have ever had is being a mom.
Which then adds many new “hats” to my resume ~ teacher, friend, boss, mentor, shoulder, protector, bad guy, mean mom, secretary, waitress, chauffeur.
This weekend my roles were comforter, empathizer, protective mother bear.
We had many plans this weekend to finish our kitchen. We were going to hang beadboard for our backsplash, stain our butcherblock island countertop, and paint, paint, paint.
Then the LOML got a text from one of our sons who is in college. “Can we skype tonight?” The LOML texted back “How about after dinner?” The reply came back “We broke up!” The LOML texted “We’ll skype now!”
When one of your children has a broken heart, everything stops. Nothing else matters. The kitchen is put on hold.
The whole family sat around the computer screen and we couldn’t say anything to make him feel better. So we just stared at each other, some crying or sad.
We jumped in the truck the next morning (really early!) and drove for three hours just to give someone we love a great big hug! We played at a park, played basketball, ate, talked, cried, shopped for socks. We were together and we loved each other.
It probably didn’t make his heart feel better, but we took his mind off of the pain for a little while.
If I could have taken his pain and worn it myself I would have. If I could have done ANYTHING to make him feel better I would have done it. But there was nothing any of us could do.
The helpless feeling of a parent! Our son is AMAZING!!! He’s kind, smart, talented, driven, Godly, and a great big brother. Hearing it or knowing it doesn’t matter when you’re hurting.
When we had to say goodbye, the LOML and a bawling mother told him how much we loved him and that we are here anytime anywhere, for anything. Just call. Then we left him standing in the hallway of his dorm. What an awful feeling to leave and feel like you’ve done nothing.
He facebooked me later and thanked us for coming and told us that he was feeling better. YEAH!!!!
Seeing a child in pain and not being able to help is a difficult thing. Just think how our Heavenly Father feels when we are hurting. He loves us more than we love our own children (I just can’t fathom that but it’s true!). God’s heart is aching along with my son more than mine is. HOW AWESOME IS THAT!! When we left him in the hallway, God didn’t. He is still beside him comforting him better than I ever could! YEAH!!
1 Peter 5:6-7 (KJV) Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
I agree it is never easy to see your child in pain.I have a younger brother.When he was in college he met a girl that he thought “Was the one”.They dated for a long time.And one day she broke up with him.I don’t know the details.I did not ask.My brother was in a slump.He was feeling sorry for himself and depressed.I told him there was no need for that.You are a great person and she was NOT the one.Even though your heart was saying she was.I believe God has a plan for us all and she was not in those plans.About six months after the break up he met another girl.They connected right away.Well they just celebrated there 10 year wedding anniversary and they have two beautiful children.That was God’s plan all along.
Blessings,
Anne
It reminds me of the Rascal Flatts song where it says “God blessed the broken road that lead me straight to you.” Everything has a purpose..the mistakes, the pain, all of it. It just stinks while you’re going through it. Thanks Anne for sharing. I love hearing from you! ~ Linda