Socks for 5; Prayer for 9
I drive my boys nuts telling them stories they’ve heard and heard – and I thought, well, I want to tell this story again. My new daughter-in-law says it’s a family trait, one she’s getting used to. I can’t wait until one day, she becomes a storyteller, too. Today, I want somebody to hear this story again – because it meant so much to me to live it. That’s what friends do! Right? Listen to the same story over and over because they know their friend needed to tell it, needed to be reminded. Wrapping you in a big, heart-felt thank you for listening (reading) it again – if you’ve heard (read) it before.
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done”
(Luke 22:42)
Jesus let go . . . to do His Father’s work
He let go so that the Father, whose arms were open wide, could wrap them around more of His children.
Jesus opened his arms wide on the cross, to suffer a mother’s terrifying, heart-wrenching nightmare, so a world of me’s could find their way into the wide open embrace of His father.
Jesus let go . . . for me. . .for you. . . and for a world of people who don’t understand, don’t know, don’t believe. . .
“Love your neighbor as I have loved you,” (John 13:34)
Loving our neighbors somehow seems a little distant. Maybe because neighbors today do not know your mama, your granddaddy, your great-aunt Ruby. There’s no history, no connection . . . no real-time cause to create a love effect.
. . . but it’s a choice – this loving. Chose to live it this way; Love people like you love your children: fiercely, uncompromisingly, self-sacrificingly.
I hold my children, encircled in the love of my heart, wrapping that love around them like hugging arms. Yeah, sometimes that love might feel like a vice-grip to them. Maybe I’ll learn to love more gently, but I need to love them the best I can – and in the loving of them, I need to stretch this heart, to let others inside, wrapping that love around them like God does, like Jesus did, arms wide open, ready, waiting.
Letting go means loving more, like being broken in Him makes us whole.
Are you ready, willing to give that father love or mother love, or even daughter/son love to those outside your home, both those easy and uneasy to love?
Eleven years ago when I wrote this post I had the following: 5 sons. 1 daughter-in-law. 1 husband. 1 scardy cat. That makes 8 different ways for me to communicate. 8 different schedules. 8 different moods. 8 different needs. 8 different responses. There are 5 love languages that need mastering and 7 Spiritual Gifts to interpret.
Today, I have the following: (Today: 5 sons, 3 daughter-in-laws, 5 grandchildren, 1 husband, still 1 scardy cat, 1 golden retriever hospitality queen).
Back then, it was prayer for 8. Dinner for 6. Clean socks for 5. Today, it’s prayer for 16. Dinner and socks for two.
I can get absorbed in my family. In my reactions to my family. Into the mysteries of my family. My. My. My. My.
“If anyone would come after me,
they must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Whoever tries to save his life will lose it,
but whoever will lose his life for me will save it.”
(Luke 9:23-24)
Yes, sometimes, I need to let go of my to embrace His . . .His children, His love, His spirit, His word, His Fatherness, His schedule.
Letting Go of my to be His laborer.
In March, 2011, I had a grocery store experience that shook up my heart. In the grocery store with my cart filled with Mama Rosa’s cheese pizzas for my littlest guy, I hummed, focused on feeding the my’s in my life. Shrieking noises wafted over the aisles. My cart and I continued on. High-pitched squeals moved closer, not happy squeals – out-of-control squeals. Chicken to make soup for my biggest teen. Futile mother shouts encroached. Salsa for my Joyful one, mechanical pencils for my fire-and-power son. Running feet closed in, noise moving passionately invading my reverie. Pelegrino for my thirst.
As I was just reaching for enchilada sauce, a little boy appeared with the shrieking voice. You know the kind of sound – the sound a little 4 year old makes when he thinks he is playing a game of tag and keeps slipping from your touch, evading. At least, I think he was 4.
Racing down the aisle, weaving between customers, he stopped in front of my cart. Grabbing hold, he stepped to stand on the end, just like my boys did when they were little, wanting to ride. . . but he was not my boy.
I could just see the headlines, “Boy flips cart, critically injured.” Or maybe, “Woman accused of imminent child-theft” all because he was suddenly wanting to ride my cart.
Treading carefully – because he wasn’t mine to scold, I told him he needed to step off the cart. He did. I kept looking for his mother, expecting her to call him. Nothing. In a quandary, I calmly pushed the cart forward. He decided to go with me like he was my boy.
“You need to go back to your mom. You shouldn’t be here with me,” I suggested.
“Do you think I’m going to hell?” he asked, making eye contact, stopped still in front of me.
My world stopped. Letting Go of my concerns, I looked at him squarely in the eye. Wanting to say so much, wanting to say it so right, but only having grocery-store aisle time. I finally said, looking back at him straight in the eye, “You can go to heaven if you want to.”
“Can I go home with you?” he asked. If my spirit had arms, which in this case, I think it did, well those spirit arms pulled him into my heart, into the circle of my family. Prayer for 9 now. Still 5 pairs of socks for matching, but prayer for 9.
That little boy, standing in front of my cart, in sudden stillness, revealed his brokenness, revealed a cry to be made whole – at little years old.
“Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me,
and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 19: 13-14)
His mother and grandmother came around the corner then. He took off, lots of noise, lots of energy followed by lots of parental hollering.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24)
Letting go of my thoughts, my reverie, my concerns, my challenges. I prayed. That God would send laborers across this little boy’s path. That his eyes would be opened to the truth – that he is a child of God. That heaven is his for the asking. That angels would encamp about him and protect him. That healthy boundaries would be set for him. No matter how much little boys balk at having healthy boundaries set, they cry out for someone to love them enough to set them.
Letting go of my
To wrap God’s love around His
All because Jesus let go first for me.
I’ve often thought of that little boy – and prayed that a seed was planted, that it took root deeply, that God’s laborers watered it with a Holys Spirit Miracle Grow water. The lost lambs, the lost boys. . . and girls. God worked on my heart during that season. Like a clock maker works on the insides of a clock, He worked on the insides of my heart – so that it would grow and grow to love more than “my” own, but to love those that cross my path, whether they be grocery aisle paths, sports side-line paths, community paths, all the paths I walk.
God calls us to love all those He gives us in the daily. . . and loving entails praying for. Who are you praying for. . . it’s not enough to only pray for those whose socks you match or have matched. . . ?
WOW! Thank you for sharing this. I had my own little eye opening experience about being a good neighbor this week too, which I shared. God is grabbing hold of some hearts to start actively showing His love.
very eye opening as mich said! Thanks for this wonderful reminder!
That was beautiful!! All of what you said is so true!
That is so amazing! Our God is surprising isn’t He?
Love how your share your thoughts in such a way that we all can find something to relate to!
Love this story!!
This really moved me on so many levels. I want to wrap my “spirit arms” around that little boy also. Your answer to his question was perfect!
And so it’s Sunday and I know you posted this on Wednesday. But I couldn’t stop reading the thank you’s from Monday. But I’m here now and I’m reminded why I’ve grown to like reading you 🙂
And I have to say that our prayer – it’s so much like onbe that I might pray – we have the same praying style. I heart that. And your ending – much like we love because he first loved us – we let go – because he first let go for us. Amen.
Thank you, I really enjoyed reading this.
God Bless and Keep you and all of yours
Oh how wonderful this post! Thank you so much for reminding me that we are called to care and concern about “His” and to daily deny “my.” Being the mom of two boys and one girl, and just being in survival mode most of the time as they are still rather small, I forget this too many times. I needed to read this today and I’m so glad you wrote it! God bless –
This is beautiful…
Thank you so much for visiting my blog…I agree with all these comments cannot think of more. What wonderful in this post is how you related this to the common interest of all that was amazing. Thank you so much for writing this. I am visiting my own religion back with a lot of heartache it was not easy but it does provide me some peace at the end of the day. I do understand the agony of loving unconditionally…
This so, incredibly beautiful! Thanks so much for popping by. And at least your Mama made french toast. Haha. I love my Mum, but the closest I got to a gourmet breakfast was frozen waffles. Maybe that’s where I get my chops from. Desperation.
Cheers!
Oh my!!What a timely message for ME!
Blessed over and over…
We were both on the same page this morning. This was very moving. The need is huge, tha harvest is great, are we the laborers?
What a beautiful story and what interesting timing for me.
This week, as I was reading the story of the parable of the prodigal son, it struck me how gracious it was for the father to LET GO. He was surely letting go of his “my.” His hopes for his family and thoughts of the future . . . and he let go of that my to let his son stomp on his heart and take the money that HE had set aside for him and run off to be wasteful and selfish. And then he let go of his pride and rightful anger and opened his arms wide.
Letting go. It goes against everything that seems right to us at times. But what results!
Spring blessings to you!
GlowinGirl
sugartails (at) gmail (dot) com
Okay now, I have goosebumps all over my arms – this was powerful. What a defining moment in time, right in the middle of the grocery store aisle. Wow. Certainly makes looking outwardly much more important. So well written so as to impart the most knowledge!
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love this….
But, is it not odd that this boy should seek you out, out of all others in the grocery isles, at a time when you are thinking about embracing your fellow man? He comes running to you….your back to him, he knows you not. Yet, he asks you such questions; questions of hell and love.
….maybe not such a coincidence.
🙂
Thank you so so much for linking this to my blog. I read it, and then I read it again, through tears, to my husband. Every word is so true and I am grateful for your openness to that little one, and for you sharing it here, and with me.
God bless you!
beautiful. heart-warming. heart-melting, and eye-opening. love it. really, really love it. prayer for 9. children are so special, arent they? yes, yes, yes, i agree–that my eyes would be open to others and their needs, how much God loves them and wants me to love them, right in the middle of all that im juggling with my family and home. i was intrigued by the title, socks for 5; prayer for 9, since i have an abundance of socks to pair as well, and have all but given up on this quest. so glad i read it! i will be stopping by to read often. thanks for your very kind words on my blog. i left a comment for you there. a kindred heart, indeed <3
Praying your few words, your prayer for this little one who crossed your path, will drip saving grace into his life. I don’t believe in accidents.
wow. what an incredible story friend. and i love this: Jesus opened his arms wide on the cross, to suffer a mother’s terrifying, heart-wrenching nightmare, so a world of me’s could find their way into the wide open embrace of His father.
Girl – you have me bawling my eyes out. Yes, stopping to love others is the best love ever. You hit the target right on here. My heart is warm and stretched. Thanks so much for linking up at SFTOT. Blessings.
This broke my heart for sure. God certainly brought him to you to plant that seed of love in his heart. Praying for fertile soil and that someone else will come along to water and tend it.
Letting go of the “my” …. Yes. And WOW! What an amazing encounter. Have you seen the boy since?
No, I haven’t. It was a random moment in a grocery store before we moved back to TN. I think God wants us ready for random moments, to love someone, to care enough to give someone hope words.
great post..to let go of my…to wrap around His…and wow…what a raw, pain filled question…blessings to you~
Wow! We sure are sisters in our posts this time, eh? Your story is so similar to mine (To the Furthermost Edge)!
Love this description of the grocery aisle . . . and the background noise of the boy. Totally experienced it with you as you told the story.
Thanks for visiting my blog, too!
Maryleigh, this story may be a “repeat”, but I missed it the first time. I am so very glad you shared it again. I know so many of those little boys (and girls) that I’ve lost count… and as I begin working as a CASA I know I’ll be adding more names to my prayer list. It’s sometimes overwhelming, isn’t it? Thankfully, God’s very good at math, and He doesn’t lose track of his children!
Your answer to the little boy was inspired. I’m going to remember it!
Wow. Incredible story. I think we need to be shocked out of our “my”s more often than we’d like to admit.
Wow! What a heart-wrenching story. Amazing how God placed you there at that precise time. Praying that your caring words to him that day may bear fruit.
This is an amazing story! Thank you for sharing it again so I could read it this time.
So sweet! I scheduled this in a tweet today. Thank you for sharing.
Maryleigh, this such a powerful story! Thanks for sharing it with us. It’s amazing how God wakes us up sometimes and helps us to see with His eyes.
Lord, give me eyes to see!
Prayed for this little one and his mama tonight.
And again. Wonder where he is now…
I love this picture of praying for your family.
and, hopefully, for praying for those who aren’t family!
Now that’s a shopping trip!
Where I got more than I bargained for – so much more!
Thank you for your beautiful story. How sad, how sweet, his hopeful.
The saddness – oh, yes! Especially since I was helpless to do more – except plant that seed! And pray! I think he would be about 16 now? Praying, still!
Enjoying the historical comments…
Also struck by our similarities: when grandchild #5 arrives in July, we will be 14, and I am trying to believe it’s really true!
Isn’t it amazing that when our family expands, our hearts expand, too! July will be a blessing month for you! Soak in it, my friend!
i appreciate this nudge to enlarge our own personal borders. it’s too easy to be totally absorbed in me and mine.
I like how you say that, Linda – “to enlarge our own personal borders.” It certainly is comfortable to be absorbed in the me’s and mines – stretching is uncomfortable – but as we learn to stretch those borders, oh, my – the potential in that expansion!
Love, Love, Love this Maryleigh! I loved the picture of your home, both then and now and the way it all was woven together with loving our neighbor. I believe loving our neighbor is very close to the heart of God!
Loving His children as though they were ours, too! I believe our children teach us how He’s called us to love all our neighbors. Shalom! ~ Maryleigh
I love this…and it make me wonder what we should say to those adults around us who face the very same dilemma. May we each be seed planters no matter the age of the seeker, no matter whether the same question is verbalized or not.
I love this response! Amen, Jan! ~ Maryleigh
Maryleigh, Wow! What a journey. I was immersed by your story of the little boy. It’s something I continue to pray often and ask Jesus to guide me in loving others even if I don’t know them, you know, loving them his way.
Visiting today from Let’s Have Coffee #17&18
I pray to understand His brand of loving more and more! I think I only know a miniscule speck of the tip of His love! Shalom, my friend!
This is beautiful, Maryleigh. It is amazing how God grows our hearts, opens our eyes, and expands our prayers. May we be faithful to step into these unexpected moments and plant His seeds.
Amen, Joanne! I like how you say it – “faithful to step into these unexpected moments.” Those are the best moments – at least we realize that afterwards!
Hi Maryleigh, wow, what a story. Wouldn’t be great to bump into that little boy again and hear how he flourished in Jesus? I so hope he did too. But what a great opportunity to plant seeds of hope and love. Loved this post, loved how you expressed our ability to stretch love to all in our sphere of influence.
God bless my friend
Tracy
I would love to know his story – and one day, I will! I think one of my friends calls this kind of living open-handed living! I am so glad I am learning to live it!
I should read before I press post! “Wouldn’t it BE great” is what its supposed to read 🙂
Even though I’m pretty sure I’ve read this before and commented, it touched me deeply this time as well. You write so beautifully, and this is such a tender, heartwarming, “wow” story. Definitely a God appointment.