Emotional Space to Be.

My friend, Kate Vasey, and her husband have had a mentor couple since as long as I can remember.  Perhaps even since their dating years.  They now are two children into marriage and years keep coming with growth and challenges and support and friendship.

But something their mentor couple said years ago, has always stuck with me.  The wife was talking about staying home as a mom and what that means, and why that's important.  And her words were something like, "When you stay home full time, you can have the extra emotional fill take to give to your husband and children for when they come home."

I think about now, as Mark and I give our emotional fill tank to "the world" - our jobs, and try to make every effort to find some leftovers to give to each other.  And it reminds me of the woman's words.  About wanting to be filled so I am able to overflow into him.

And I think about the women I see who are working full-time and watch their scattered homes and how this one in particular feels frantic always, and the impact that has on me and her children and her household.

Then my sisters words of yesterday float back, and she said they were staying home for the day, skipping errands and playdates, because her "household needed her."  Time to play dolls with Kaylin, get on top of groceries, and rest in pajamas.  Time to, be.

I wonder what this means for us as women.  We are those who think, yes, but who live in the depth of our hearts.  And we feel in a way that is distinct.  And our hearts need to be full.  We give out, always.  But in this world, we need to be filled by the Holy Spirit and the Word, by our friendships, by time to just be.  We need space for the things that fill us -- books, music, movement, conversation -- so we are filled and able to help others Be.

I am called to be his helpmate, and her dear sister, and her close friend.  All of these things require an inward strength, and outward flow, to be giving, available, loving, patient, kind, and have the capacity to help others Be.

Lord, give me the emotion, the time, the energy, the space, the temperament, and currently, the job, to Be.  And Be the woman you created me to Be.  Fill my emotional tank so I can help my husband, and my friends, to be the people you've called and enabled them to Be.