i say this to my kids all the time. when i'm working from home, doing my workout, on a phone call, doing housework, having coffee with a friend, going to a work meeting, i tell my kids "i'm interruptible."
i want them to know it's okay for them to come to me any time, even if it might seem that i'm "too busy" for them; i want them to know i'm not. ever.
even if i'm in the middle of something else, i want to hear what they have to say. i want to see what they want to show me. i want to be able to help them if they need it. i want to see their smiles and hear their laughs and know their feelings and thoughts and ideas. i don't want to miss any of it because i'm too busy or too focused on something else. presence is priority.
i learned this little phrase years ago when i was praying about something that seemed minor to me because at the same time, there were incredible tragedies happening in other parts of our country. i thought, i probably shouldn't bug God with this little thing that's happening in my little life while he's saving and healing hundreds of hearts over there. and the Holy Spirit showed me, by way of giving me an opportunity that same day with my kids, that God is a good Father and i can come to him any time. He is faithful and His presence is reliable. He is interruptible.
i thought about Jesus and all the times He was interrupted. read the Bible and see that pretty much every time Jesus was interrupted along His way, He found a way to bless the people who needed Him. Jesus didn't get annoyed. He wasn't inconvenienced or burdened by their needs. He took advantage of every divine interruption.
how truly amazing that the Savior of our souls is never too busy, too distracted, too focused on something else, or too overscheduled to be interrupted.
my mindset on interruptions changed. my kids aren't interruptions. those moments they need me are opportunities to teach, comfort, know, help, and love them. my availability and accessibility to them builds trust between us. it's safe to come to me. i'm willing to set aside my plans and shift my focus for their sakes. i'm available and they are welcome and they can have my eyes and ears for as long as they want.
laundry half-folded. emails saved as drafts. text conversations left on read. face to face conversations walked away from. projects dropped. mail left unread. inbox ignored. movies muted. social media shut down. workout videos paused. i'm interruptible.
i can't even count how many times my kids have taken advantage of this and i've had to stop what i was doing to give them my attention. the same number of times that i've been interrupted, i've been thankful. thankful for that moment, that conversation, that opportunity with them. i eventually go back to what i was doing, but my heart is full and lifted- SO GRATEFUL. their interruptions are hands down without a question always better than whatever else i was doing.
God uses those moments of interruption to cause me to turn and praise him. God is glorified in my mothering.
even as my kids are getting older and more independent, i still tell them "i'm interruptible" almost daily. it's still important to me that they know i'm here for them- physically here and attentively here. they can always come to me. i'm interruptible for them.
"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
-Psalm 16:11
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