Intended Blessings

As I began my late evening journey back home with my three girls I turned on the radio to our favorite 

K-LOVE station.  I never gave it much thought, it is just a habit... besides I really like to sing while I drive as a way to pass the time.  This particular day had been a little trying due to some unforeseen obstacles and I was feeling a little guilty about my frustrations from earlier in the day.

We hadn't been driving long when I began to apologize to God for not handling the situations the way I know He would have preferred.  I prayed that this drive would provide me with some much needed alone time with Him.  I was ready to learn how to do a better job of setting more positive examples for my girls and try to figure out how to be all that my kids need me to be.  I had assumed that this would happen through the songs that were playing on the radio and countless minutes of quiet thoughts (since the girls usually fall asleep).

But much to my surprise early on in the drive I felt the need to turn off the radio.  I began asking the girls questions about the day, at first I only received very short answers but the more I nudged the more I was able to get them to talk.  It wasn't long until my sweet little child that has a tendency to tuck her head under my arm when anyone asks her a question, began to really open up.  It was as if I had chiseled a whole in a dam and the waters broke free.  

My child that rarely speaks, couldn't talk to me enough and continued to do so for the entire two hour trip.  I realized in that moment that this was the real answer to my prayer.  My child saw my desire to hear her thoughts and she was excited for the opportunity to have my undivided attention.  It had nothing to do with what we were talking about and everything to do with the chance to really be heard.

I understand my real lesson here...

 If my children don't have the opportunity to tell me the stories of their hearts then I have missed out on some of the greatest blessing that were intended for me. 
Although, my job keeps me busy with lots of duties and responsibilities, I have to be careful about the non-verbal message my children are getting from me.  I can tell them that they are them most important things in the world to me but if I am to busy to spend time listening to them on a regular basis, then what I have really taught them is that other thing are more important.


Can it really be that simple?
What my children really need and want the most is to just spend time with me sharing the desires of their hearts!  Sometimes it's the obvious things in life that stump us the most.