Lesson of the Day

Last night I finished Angela Thomas' BRAVE Bible Study. I loved her teaching so much I looked her up on my new nifty NOOK to see what else she had to offer. I found her book "52 Things Kids Need from a Mom". I have made it through the first 12 and have related to all of them and see great wisdom in each point she has made so far.

But Number 12 smacked me in the face. KIDS NEED THEIR MOM.....TO PUT DOWN THE PHONE. In the words of my fabulous pastor, "is that an AMEN or an OH ME???". Here are a few of the points that she made that hit me in all the right places:

Sometimes the phone and the emails and the texts can wait. It can just all wait, especially if I'm supposed to be giving my attention to someone I really love a lot.

(Talking about being on the phone when the kids get in the car after being at school) Truth is, when I have been on the phone as they jumped into the car, I have forfeited one of the best mom moments of the day.

How many times did (Carson) see the back of my head, my hand to my ear, instead of looking into the eyes of his mom? How many times did I turn him away instead of picking him up.

The phone can wait. Your child, being heard by you, matters more.

As I was writing in my prayer journal the other night, I specifically prayed that I felt like we were entering critical years with Carson. That it was more important than ever to be pouring Truth in to him, to show instead of tell and to really start teaching. I really needed to hear this lesson today and be reminded that maybe I let my phone be too much of a distraction. I am blessed to be at home 2 days a week but those days I am "on call" for work so I am constantly checking for emails and/or missed calls. What good does it really do him or me to "be at home" if my mind is at work because I have constant access to it.......or to FB or to games, texting, you name it.

Here are the phone boundaries that she mentioned that I am going to attempt to implement more and more for myself.

• No phone calls or texting at meals.. Not for me or for anyone else. (DONE - my Daddy beat this into my brain growing up and Rooster and I feel the same about it now.)
• I don't get on the phone before the kids leave for school. (Considering I barely wake up in time to get ready, it doesn't leave much room for chatting.)
• I try and wrap up my business day, emails, calls and texts as I am turning into the carpool lane.
  
• I make phone appointments during the day or after bedtime to talk to girlfriends for those fun, chatty catchup calls.
• After we get home, my phone goes on vibrate and is left in my purse. (This one will be harder because we don't have a home line so I will have to adjust this one a bit.)

Father, thank you for this truth that you showed me today. I ask that you help me be strong in my commitment to Put Down My Phone. Help me to show Carson that I HEAR him and I SEE him. Playing with Pirate ships is way more important than checking my email, checking FB or idly chatting on the phone.