Blessed

I got the opportunity to meet up with a group of women that, about 2-3 years ago, were a frequent source of encouragement & support to me. These women from my old Wednesday night small group helped me through a lot of 'stuff' back then, and I'm very grateful for these women. But as I said, it's been a while since we've had the pleasure of meeting together weekly, and thankfully, God provided an evening that we could carve out a few hours to reconnect with each other.

It was a sweet, precious time of fellowship. One my heart needed badly.

Anyways, one of the women had their little girl with her. She's newly married, but has been a single mom for some years now.

Strength, that's all I can say, especially now having my own. I can't imagine doing it without my husband.

Her little girl had just gotten back from a visit with her dad, who has custody of her older sister. At one point in the evening, as we all sat outside enjoying the beautiful spring evening, she came and crawled up in her mother's lap, obviously sad about something. And they whispered together as she held her, swinging back and forth in the porch swing. As they whispered , I couldn't help but sit back and observe.

Since Nat was born, I find myself intrigued at watching other parents and their interactions with their kids.

Then the little girl started to cry, and my friend told her, "Honey, it's okay to be sad. I know you miss your sister." As tears rolled down her cheeks, her mom reached over and softly wiped them away.

It was a beautiful, heart-wrenching moment. Motherly comfort. Reassurance that what she was feeling was okay, but that she was also there to help her through it - to not stay there.

It made me think about Natalie. It made me realize that it will tear my heart in two when she cries, and I can't fix it. When I can't make the feelings go away. But it also made me realize that I have been blessed. I get to be the one to pull her into my lap, to hold her and wipe away her tears.

WOW. Really? Why me? Why do I get the honor of care-giving for this priceless, precious little girl?

Humbled, I prayed a prayer of gratitude, thanking God for all that He has given me.

When life is so busy, it's easy to lose sight of all the unique, amazing moments we've been given, opportunities to step into the roles that God has placed us in & to fulfill a little bit of the purpose He has for us. Being a part of His story -wiping one tear away at a time.