My second Sabbatical formed the bookends of this summer. The first half was spent mostly in Singapore playing tourist in my home country, and the second half in Chicago playing stay-at-home mom. The first half felt more productive, mainly because I was able to help Daddy and Mummy declutter that one room; and the second half had me starting a bunch of projects that sit unfinished on this last day of my Sabbatical. What I enjoyed most of this Sabbatical though, was just being able to give some more time to my role as a wife, mother, daughter, sister (wish I did more!), friend and church member. All things I prize more than being a responsible worker and manager. With days becoming shorter and the clock ticking, I’ll have to better allocate time, energy and mental space to things that matter more for eternity. How easy it is to get caught up in the hum-drum of work, and I am thankful that this Sabbatical helped me slow down and reminded me to prioritize the important.
**
“Fix these words of mind in your hearts and minds.. Teach
them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you
walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy
11:18-19
We need time to sit at home with our children, to walk along
the road with them, to lie down with them and get up with them; how else are we
to teach our children the Word of the Lord? And the few moments that are most
precious to me this summer were precisely that.
Elliot did not make it very far on our Saturday morning jog
when he had to stop. A dead bunny by the roadside sucked the spring out of his
steps. With his head drooped and his feet trudging, he barely eeked out the
words when I ran back to him, “I am so sad Mommy”. And a conversation about our
eternal hope in Christ ensued. There was no assurance of the bunny making it
into heaven; but we prayed and thanked God for the hope that we have- that one
day, there will be no more death, sadness and tears when we are with Him in the new heaven and new earth. And then he ran again. But
it was not long before another conversation about money interrupted my plans to
be healthy that morning.
“I did not used to be like that Mommy…” Mya rubbed her eyes
we lay down beside each other on her bed. Earlier that evening, the older one
went bananas over my comment about Elliot having a 40 minute long bus ride each
way to school. “You only care about Elliot! Oh poor Elliot! You think I have an
easy bus ride?” I pointed out the mean, ugly heart that the jealousy stemmed
from; and she hid herself in the bathroom to calm down. She did not want to
hear a sermonette that night, but I was glad to lay beside her and tell her “I
was and I am like that too.”
Having the chance to send the kids off to school in the morning, and being home to welcome them when they get back is precious. Instead of getting ready for work or being already gone on the train, I get to see these little ones board their school bus and tell them that I love them as they go off to learn about and face that big world out there. And being around to hear about their day when they get home, prepping snacks and spontaneous sushi dinners together just makes my heart full. I want to be here to tell them that they do not have to sneak around for more screen time in the dark, warn them of pressures they'll face at school and remind them to be little lights for Jesus whenever they can.
And as we sit down for family worship in
the evenings, it was wonderful to take time to breathe and rest together. There were no activities to rush to after
dinner, and no other place we had to be other than there beside each other –
reading, singing hymns and praying together.
***
I have so enjoyed TGC’s Good Faith debates. So thankful to
the Lord for this group of like-minded brothers and sisters whom I don’t know
personally, but am so glad to call “my people, my tribe”!
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