Put The Phone Down And Be A Mother

Today, six friends and I are writing a series called Put the Phone Down! Our hope and prayer is to draw to your attention the importance of one-on-one relationships with those around you without the distraction of a phone and/or computer. In closing, you will find a list of lovely ladies and their individual Put the Phone Down topic.

I must begin with a confession: I'm a rather old school sort of girl who doesn't own a cell phone. It's not that I have anything against them; I've simply never had the need or desire to stay up to date with the latest technology. You might think that my relationships would be perfect then, since I don't have a little gadget constantly buzzing in my back pocket for attention.



However, I have a computer, and though it is an ancient beast that causes the middle of my desk to sag, it has the power to wield the same time-wasting, relationship-breaking temptation as latest iPhone model. As a mother to two young children and an avid blogger, I'm becoming increasingly aware of the need to turn off the power and focus on building relationships with these precious souls that have been entrusted into our care for such a short time.
One day, I will say to Charity, "Please don't rub the diaper cream in your hair; it's not shampoo," and she won't. One day, after Judah spits up sour milk into the carpet and I hurry to clean it up before the bacteria can start to brew, I'll say, "Oh Judah! You're too big to be spitting up your milk!" and my floor will stay clean. One day, I will hesitantly step out of bed in the morning and be surprised to discover that there is no herd of stuffed animals waiting in the hall to sprain my ankle. One day, when I ask, "Can I just have two minutes of peace and quiet?" I will be answered with a deafening silence. One day, when I say, "Mommy just has to write a blog post for a minute. I'll be right back," as I walk down the stairs, I will return, and my children will be gone.
Are we willing to turn off the technology so we can mother like Jochabed? Can you see her there, nursing Moses, praying for him, and teaching him the truth about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? In the few short years between Moses' birth and the time he was weaned, his parent's influence was so great that we find Moses listed among the heroes of faith:  "By faith, Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter." (Hebrews 11: 24)
Time is short, and the precious few moments we're given with our children are fleeting. It can be a real challenge trying to keep up with emails that require a response, comments that need to be published, and a Facebook status that's waiting to be updated. As much as I hate to admit it, it really doesn't matter if any of these things get done today. There are other lovely blogs for people to read, and other pages to "like." 
But my children - I only have them on loan for a short while and the time in which they are most impressionable? Once it's gone, it's gone. Seize the day. Spend as much time as you can training them up in the way that they should go, so that, when they are old, they will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). 

Linking to: Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots At Home, Women Living Well,