I hope I never take for granted, even for a moment, family that will drop everything and help you.  We are blessed by wonderful family on both sides, and what a rich and precious gift that is.

   On one of the evenings my mom was here she let Randy and I go out for a date and we ended up at a coffee shop where I saw a couple with two little girls about our daughters' ages, and so I commented on them and the mom immediately asked me, "Where do you find babysitting?"

   I replied that they were staying with my mom, and she went on to say how difficult it is to find any babysitting and even when they can find someone through an online company, the rates are quite high.  Not to mention you don't even really KNOW those people.  They don't have family around, and there aren't really any options at their church and so they were left with pretty much nothing.

   A young woman sitting on the other side of the fireplace knitting fingerless gloves chimed in our conversation with, "We don't really have family as an option either.   Well, they don't live far away, but they are just not....well.....healthy enough to leave our children with."

   And she said it in an embarrassed sort of way with eye rolling and deep sighs that made it seem as if "health" was more of an addiction, or other issue that they were not comfortable with that was present, prohibiting them from being active in their grandchildren's lives.

It was all so very, very sad.


I felt so convicted.

  I love all of my family, both by blood and by marriage, but oftentimes I find myself bemoaning the fact that we don't live closer, or that we aren't closer relationally, or that we don't get together nearly as much as some other families.  And then I hear these women sharing about how they have NO one in their life to count on, NO ONE to surround them and support them in the raising of their children and the building of their home and I shudder to think that I could ever be anything less than grateful.


   There is a lot of turmoil going on right now for my mom with church issues, raising teenagers, and her job as an Amish midwife's assistant.  And if you choked on that last sentence, TRUST ME, it is another story (or multiple stories) for another time.

   There is much we don't agree on, and much we can't ever seem to understand each other about.  But she is still my Mom.  And I love her.  And I am desperately grateful, that she cares enough about us to take time from her busy life, and come visit.

   She always comes swooping in with elbows flying, dusting and sweeping and cleaning and showing love as she best knows how, Gifts of Service.  She takes the time to rescue the parts of my home and life that are falling into chaos, even when she is stretched thin herself.

And I hope one day to be that lifeline for my girls as well.