Monday, March 14, 2011

To The Anonymous - - You Matter

If there's one thing I've learned about being a stay-at-home mom of little kids, it's that you need a lot of support. It's a blessing to have a friend to talk to when you just need an adult voice. There are times the last thing you want to do is wipe another boogie nose, but knowing girl's night out is around the corner helps you press on. There are times you just want to take a drive in the car, without having to listen to 20 questions from the back seat. And while stay-at-home moms can seem like anonymous people , operating on a completely different day-shift than the rest of the world's 9-5, you know that you matter to the Savior.

But I've found a new level of anonymity. You moms have probably experienced it. It's the circumstance where you visit a friend, neighbor, extended relative, or acquaintance and the only one that matters in the room is .... the baby on your hip.

Have you ever felt that?

You're not even acknowledged. The baby receives the engagement, the patting, maybe is even taken from your hip and not one word is said to you. It's like you don't even exist.

Most days it doesn't bother me. I kind of enjoy staying out of the floodlights. But deep down inside a small part of me wonders why if I matter so much then why not even a word was said to me.

I've had this happen twice to me this past weekend. not a word was said to me in the hour+ that I spent with this person. All the interaction was with my children and my husband. It's as if a world around me existed and I was merely there for functionality.

I'm not posting about this as a passive-aggressive way of getting back at that person. This has nothing to do with that kind of a shallow act. I just wanted to post about this feeling for all those moms out there that are put in similar situations. All those moms out there (whom most will never have heard of or ever read these words) who just want a friend to look them in the eyes and say, "you matter. Even if you have some undetectable sticky thing in your hair."

"You matter to me even if you are thinking about how you wish you had time for a shower this morning. Even if you're wondering if you'll ever lose the baby weight. Even if your thoughts are on desiring a moment of quiet time once the kids go to bed. Even if the last thing on your list is to uphold some intellectual conversation because you just want someone to be with you without requiring something from you. You matter. Because you are you."

And it's in those moments that I hope and pray you hear your Savior whisper those truths to your heart.


Dear anonymous Mom out there,

You Matter to Me.

- Jesus.



He is all-sustaining.

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