Seriously. The love I'm about to tell you about is real love. You will be melting any of your girlfriends hearts by reading the below and putting it to action this week. Oh yes, real love is about to get passed on and on....
Okay, so last year when I was preggie (pregnant), my handsome husband and I decided we wanted to love on some of our friends with two boys. We like to love on our friends with kids, especially, because most of our friends don't have family closeby and we want to love on them by giving them a break/night out, pursuing their kids with love from outside the family (like an aunt and uncle would), as well as getting to have a good time ourselves - children are great teachers and entertainers.
So we called up our friends and told them we want to give them a night out together - we'll watch the boys (their wild boys, one we call William Wallace). Turns out they had a groupon for a hotel downtown and so they pulled the risk of asking if we'd do an overnight with the boys next weekend...sure, we said!
My husband and I thought it'd be fun to take the boys to Chuck E. Cheese the night we babysit because um, hello...it's fun! (Though some people strongly disagree Chuck E. Cheese is fun.) And pizza. That week before we did the overnight, with our first baby growing in my tummy, I wondered if someday someone would offer to do an overnight with our kids and maybe even take them to Chuck E. Cheese as were doing that weekend. One of those random thoughts.
Well, that Friday evening we arrive at our friends to watch the boys and tell them we are wanting to take the boys to Chuck E. Cheese (and I had found some coupons in the newspaper too!). Of course, they say! And they said what's crazy is that when they were married without kids they did an overnight with some of their friends' kids and took them to Chuck E. Cheese...exactly what we were doing!! Whoooooa, the love is being passed on, people!
Now I totally expect someone to give us an overnight in the future and take our kids to Chuck E. Cheese...I'm already excited!
So, I tell that story to say...love on your friends! And who knows, someone just might love on you in that exact way someday, kids or not! As a new mom, I have discovered how moms feel sometimes. Sometimes you feel stuck in your house, and the only way you can get out is if a girlfriend offers to come over and help a sister out. Seriously. And when no one offers, you've gotta ask people...and sometimes you feel like (because it's true at times) that whenever you need help (or just want it) you are needing to ask people again and again, trying to work out the time that works for them, bending over backwards so you can go to the grocery store or clean your bathroom or maybe even just go sit outside and drink a cup of joe for 20 minutes without your 2 year old pouring your joe on the carpet...when just for once, you dream of someone calling you up and offering to help you in any way! Oh, what a dream!
Ladies (and men!) without kids, you have the gift to make time and availability for your friends with kids...to choose them, to offer to them your time and energy, to really love on them and their children (parents loooove when their kids are loved on and chosen and cared for and treated by someone other than them)....seriously they will feel reeeeeaaaalllllyyy loved!
This is definitely I AM WOMAN living - helpin your sisters out!
One idea...
Today, my girlfriend (no kids) came over to my house this morning and brought coffee, scones, a jar of flowers from her garden, and even half and half for the coffee. Daaaaang, what a woman! She just hung out with me and my 9-month old daughter Adelaide...we sipped on coffee, chomped on blueberry scones, changed a diaper, swung Adelaide, talked about what's going on in our hearts and lives, crawled around and played with Adelaide, fed Adelaide, etc. And oh, she did my dishes! Okay, whoa my friend is totally I AM WOMAN awesome! If you love on one of your mom friends like this, I can guarantee you are I AM WOMAN awesome and you need a badge.
So this week?? Let's PASS ON THE LOOOOOOVE!! :)
Allison Riggs! You are so amazing! Well done at loving your family and friends so good. I am inspired to be a better Proverbs 31- I AM WOMAN because of you. Keep up the great work... <3 you lady!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! You indeed have been loved on by your friend!
ReplyDeleteYeah, my 4yr old spilled the joe on the carpet after hubs and i had devos this morning :)
It is awesome to have people in your life who love on you AND your blessing!
It is a sad and unfortunate time in society when we, as believers in Christ, have to ASK for help, from each other, because no one is OFFERING him/herself. May we take your challenge and look outside of ourselves and LOVE on the people Christ has put in our lives. May we love one another as He loves us.
"The greatest gift is a portion of thyself" Ralph Waldo Emerson
Being not a mother yet I have really felt called to love on mothers over the past two years. It has been fun to take a coffee over and just sit. It has been fun to surprise Moms and just take the kids. I am so glad you put it into better words than I could. I always thought of it as a way to visit friends who have kids... but never thought what a relief it must be for mothers. Makes me want to be sure I do it more!!
ReplyDeleteMy husband, Brian, LOVES kids and even he has taken care of a couple little kids lately. Just last night he told my brother he had the night off and took all THREE of his girls. 3 under 3. He said it was a disaster and had to change his pee covered shirt by the end but my Brother and his wife were so thankful!!
~Bryn