don’t forget this.

Don’t forget to pause. Take a minute. Listen.

Honestly, this thought runs endurance races in my head:

No time. No time for that.

I’m part of a group in which the leader sends out a weekly check-in email that asks a simple question…How can we pray for you this week?

Sometimes, a lot of times, I think that I’m good. I’ve got this. I don’t need to be on that list. This week, I knew better. I had just scrolled through my Instagram feed and noticed a photo of a girl reading on a park bench by a pond, and her reflection in the water showed light flowing around her. The caption read, “Keep it simple. God’s already fought your battle for you.”

And that was it. That quiet reminder, hidden in a sea of beautiful photos and words in my feed…that was it. That was my prayer. Remembering that the battle is won already. That no matter what I fill my days with, there’s always time for the important things.

So this morning, instead of popping up to do all of the things, I sat down and had breakfast with him and I listened. At first, he gave me this look.

I mean, I did leave the dirty dishes in the sink for a minute. I would give me this look, too. But then, I learned.

I listened to him explain what he’s been soaking up at school. He’s learning about the Titanic from his teacher who’s obsessed with all things history, which makes stories come alive. He shared his depth of knowledge and new things about the building of the ship and its sister ships; how other people died during the launch of the Titanic; how my son is an absolute sponge and smart and funny and demonstrates a wit that warms me from the toes up.