Connections

It was quite by happenstance that I stumbled across her Instagram account, a follower of a follower of an account I sometimes frequent. I had never run across her before, this young mother, living out and loving her dream of raising her little family in the rural English countryside. Seems odd to say it, but within just a few frames, monologue skipping lightly over the videos playing beneath, I was taken in by it all, feeling somehow deeply connected to this woman as a fellow mom.

I suppose Mother's Day has been on the brain a bit lately since we will remember and honor our moms on a day all their own in just a couple of weeks. More on the new Instagram account to come next time, but for now, just a few short thoughts on "connections."

This newfound discovery has got me thinking about all the wonderful ways we get to connect as mothers with our children.

When they are little, and we have several small ones at the same time, we connect individually, certainly, but quite often at this stage our connection is in the plural, as a collective. We take them together on an outing to the park or to the library. We play chase and freeze tag in the backyard and fly kites in the open field of the nearest playground. We pack the car with lemonade and sandwiches and blankets and try out the newly revamped drive-in movie theater on a random summer night.

We operate and connect as a family unit, and it is beautiful. Sibling relationships are forged and deepen. They will remain the glue that binds our family together, but as time passes and children grow and mature, connections begin to happen with one another individually,and with us as parents individually, as well as collectively.

This is the time we begin to discover the amazing ways God knit our children together, the grand purpose and plan He had in mind for them all along. We notice nuances in gifts and personality that still reflect the family origin, but which also tell the tale of new beginnings, budding individualism that makes each child unique, and sets each on a path of his or her own.

As parents we get to have a front row seat to witness the wonder of God's creative genius. Clues tell us who will gravitate to music or art, who will care for nature and wildlife, who will be bookish and devour poetry, who will be a friend to many, who will be more introspective... and with each of these promising revelations come new connections, a time for us as parents to nurture special one-on-one connections with each of our children.

That little foray into the world of a stranger on Instagram had me thinking and smiling... so much smiling...about the ways I connect with my grown children today.

If there's something I see or hear that's simply hilarious, I'll send it to Mark or tell him about it. We share a connection with humor, always have, and I hope we always will. It brings genuine joy to see him throw back his head in unbridled laughter! Light-heartedness is good medicine for the soul.

Rachel and I connect through a mutual love of "treasure hunting" at thrift stores as we peruse the aisles for vintage teacups and doilies. Neither one of us needs any more of either of those, but the thrill comes from just being together, musing over the sometimes weird and crazy things that get donated, shaking our heads at oftentimes exorbitant prices, or squealing with delight at the discovery of a real "find."

It's often in conversations over education that Elizabeth and I connect. Though I was only in the public school sector for approximately five years, and she has clocked more than twice that now, we enjoy discussing her teaching strategies and goals and sometimes bond over either bemoaning classroom management stories or laughing hysterically at them.

Sarah, my youngest, and I have always connected over food. It's true. The year she did junior college here in town, I'd make us lunch for when she got home from class, and we would eat together while watching either "Cupcake Wars" or "The Great American Food Truck Race" on the computer. She's usually the one who will call me for a recipe from her childhood, and we keep the web busy sending pics back and forth of some "amazing" looking dish we need to try.

These little things, these "connections" keep us close. They remind us who we are, where we've been... where we're going. They are glimpses of our collective family history and also of our individual interests and callings.

One ordinary evening a couple of years ago when one of my grandsons was about six years old, we were sitting outside in the backyard by the firepit. I was keeping him company as he was finishing up his hotdog and chips. Everyone else had already gone inside for the evening to get ready for the bedtime routine. As we sat there, just the two of us, he looked up into the sky and he said, "I really love the stars." Me too," I replied. And right then and there, another connection was made, and oh, how I look forward to having those special, little connections with each of my grandchildren too!

God is so good, isn't He?! He gives us gold in so many ways. He sprinkles love and laughter and good food and talks about books and stars throughout our days. He connects us deeply to each other and more deeply still to Himself. We simply need to be wise enough to recognize those connections and take time enough...

to bank them.