I rode the train today.
And watched the long, limp, limbs of the three year old boy-child across the aisle wrap into the lap of his mother.
Wheels and i-pods and doors open closing to the beat of the announcer’s voice. And a boy sleeping deep. His head bob-rocking against his mother’s breast; his braids splayed across her shoulder. Beauty breathed deep and slow and at peace on the 3:10 train to Eastern Market today.
Mother and son, and then me watching and watching and wanting to climb into their peace.
It made me feel hungry and satisfied at the same time.
She shifts him into her side and his soft body yields. We watch, me and the other passengers. We watch under cover of newspapers and iphones, our eyes returning again and again to this sacred moment unfolding on an otherwise mundane Thursday afternoon.
That bond between mother and child. That bond crackles with truth so deep that it electrifies anyone within range. We rock alongside them as the train runs its daily rut and we all transcend it for a moment.
We all bear witness to what the Creator has designed. Selfless, unselfconscious trust. One body tenderly supporting another.
And it is so very, very good.
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Ok, your turn. What moved you this week? Feel free to drop it in the comments or click here is you want to share your own post.
My 10 year old boy is busy. He doesn’t communicate with his words very well. But, I found myself at the computer, working. He came up next to me and gently scratched my shoulder. He lingered there for a moment. I caught my breath. I was afraid to acknowledge the gesture, for fear it would end. I kept mindlessly working and at the same time my heart was skipping beats and enjoying ever little flutter on my back. His moment communicated volumes.
~kristin
“I was afraid to acknowledge the gesture, for fear it would end.” ~ oh yes, yes. I know just what you mean. It’s like standing on holy ground and being afraid the slightest whisper of movement will evaporate the moment. So beautiful; thank you for sharing it!
What a special moment… I would have been afraid to move as well.
This is just beautiful. Did it make your arms ache for your own little ones? I linked a post from my blog this week, a lesson that God taught me over the weekend.
Thanks for sharing your heart with us today!
It made them sooo achey! I felt empty and full at the same time – longing for my own small bodies to hold, but entranced by watching someone else’s mothering
Amazing words my friend. My 4 yo fell asleep while I rocked her one night this week and that never happens anymore. I just sat here and held her.
Two days ago I had a rare opportunity to be home alone. It was a beautiful day so I grabbed my Bible and a cup of coffee and I sat outside. Listening to the birds, looking at the clear blue sky, I felt like God was giving me a gift. As I sat there I thought to myself, how can anyone doubt the Creator of this day.
Yes, my 4 yr old fell asleep next to me last night – a rare treat – you are so right. And days alone under the blue sky and the sunshine – those are like finding a pot of gold beneath a rainbow!
for me, it was the tremendous response i got to my series about my dad… God kind of showed me “Jenny, you are praying too little. I am so much bigger than what you are praying for.” i literally spent two full days in awe, watching God… i was breathless at times (how did this happen? how does God do stuff like this?) humbled… honored… privileged to be a part of God’s work…
then my dad responded… and our email interchange was a holy moment too…
then i had several visitors stop by the blog who didn’t know God… and i had a chance to share with them about this God i loved so much.
it was just a whole gigantic God week – for me – even though everything was just as ordinary as it usually is.
God broke in. Mightily.
Sometimes it kind of scares me when I realize how real and close and involved he is in my life. {And I read your posts; and I listened and learned – thank you}
My grandpa gestured to me, a slight incline of his head to let me know he wanted me to come to him. As I neared, he held out his right hand and on his pinky was a beautiful diamond ring. “You’re grandma wanted you to have this,” he said as tears sprang into both our eyes. Their original wedding set, shined up & sparkling, for me, their oldest grandchild. Up to that point I’d been strangly unemotional – through the day of her passing, her memorial, her graveside service. But this moment, his emotion at passing on his initial token of love and commitment, moved me.
Oh just wow – yes, a moment for tears and not words. Incredible. Beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I’ve had so many precious moments with my boys this week – from snuggling with my 6 year old, to a walk in the park with my 3 year old.
The thing that stood out was the fact that time stood still. Nothing mattered except for the closeness. We enjoyed the moment and all our worries were washed away during that precious time. It was fantastic!
I wrote a picture-post about our time in the park. I’ll link it up above.
Those days are so fantastic when we can focus on listening to our kids with our whole faces and bodies. They eat it up. And it fills us up. Wonderful system!
Eastern Market, my old stomping grounds! :) Brings back so many memories…
I’ve been moved by the incredible generosity of total strangers this week. Responding to my family’s great need with open hearts. God’s loving care for us, revealed in the actions of people who, if asked, would say they didn’t know Him.
Eastern Market is one of my all time favorite spots in DC.
And don’t you just love how God’s image is indelibly stamped on each of us – whether we recognize it or not?
thank you so much for stopping by. it really means a lot to me.
do you still feel africa in your blood? i do and yet as you say, time zones and travel and other homes have become the norm and the blessing.
this moment… it is like a bubble waiting to be burst by the wind, suspended in time.
these are precious…
I feel it every single day, since Africa is literally in my blood – and our firstborn’s – since we are both South African. We miss it and crave it and dream about it together. We go home often and always. But. But this has been a season of staying home in the States. Two years and waiting to go home again. We count the days. We know this season will not last forever.
Wow, this is beautiful. Are you sharing dif things like this every Friday?
I tend to pose a question every Friday – something that is quick and easy to respond to. But sometimes it evolves into a longer post like today – then I like to offer folks the chance to link up their own thoughts. It’s fun – I love to learn about my readers like this.
Beautifully written! You have a calmness in your words! I will be back for more and following you on Twitter!
Thanks – I found you from Home With the Boys’ post.
Anna from http://www.motherlylaw.com
thanks for stopping by – it’s always fun to meet new folks here!
what moved me? o Lisa-Jo…so many things.
i’ll share a link with you too. but its so much more personal to actually comment.
i found myself in the home of pastors in the area. they bathed me in love and life. taking me in as their own. they moved me by listening to my heart. they moved me by caring so much to dream about me, by doing research on my name and what it means. by offering for me what i struggle to offer myself.
grace.
acceptance.
they poured coffee strong, and homemade rusks re-filled my plate, a warm bath drawn. they moved me.
they put on Jesus flesh and moved me with His love.
I read your beautiful post, Bekah – but I couldn’t get the comments to work. What I wanted to say is this: there is power in a name. And I think Africa is one of those unique places where names matter a lot. Names can tell a whole story over there. I am so pleased to hear that you were taken in and your name embraced. There is nothing like that to make a heart feel at home. Thank you for loving my Africa – thank you.
My ten year old got a new classmate after spring break – a ten year old boy from Russia, being adopted by a loving family from our community. He knows no English, he is new to this land, this school , this language, this family that is grafting him into their life. My daughter and her classmates have surrounded him and welcomed him, and I am moved by her prayers every night this week when I tuck her in, that this boy will be happy and welcomed here, that she and her classmates will continue to show him the love of Christ. I am so blessed by her compassion for this little boy, a foreigner no more.
Sometimes I am staggered by the grace of children. You can tell her how to say hi in Russian – it sounds like this: “Privyet” and to say, “My name is ___” she would say “Men ya zavoot ___” Sometimes the sounds of home can be so comforting. What a transition he is going through. What a blessing he landed in your daughter’s classroom.
how wonderful. thank you for sharing, mothering needs to be lifted up now days (that’s what I, as a Mother, feel at least). Thanks.
Lifted and celebrated and danced out loud!
i just read your comment over at (In)Courage to Ann. Yes you absolutely can be homesick for someone you have never met…I am homesick for you every day!
Oh my goodness – you just made me blush from ear to ear. {Thank you ;)}
this post *grin*
Aww shucks, TM ;)
I was so blessed and moved by God’s good gift of special time with my husband on his return from Losotho. I organized the kids after school and went alone to fetch my husband at the airport on Friday. Then we shared a wonderful afternoon at Fairview before we returned home to “reality.” We had plenty of time to share everything and catch up with each other and my love tank was filled before we went home to fill up the kids love tanks too.
We’ll be in DC in July for 5 days before we fly back to SA. I would love to meet you if it could work. x
What excited me this week? Seeing my 2 year old niece get excited while receiving attention from her “big kid” cousins. It warms this Mama’s heart when her children choose to show love to little ones! I make plenty of parenting mistakes, but witnessing their interactions highlights at least one parenting success! :)
Love you Lisa-Jo!
I am always moved watching my son. Today it was the simplicity of him grabbing his favorite stuffed Lion and squeezing him tight. I said to my son “Aww Liam has his lion, he loves you too, give him a big hug”. and my son who is only 13 months old, he walked over to me and he & the Lion gave me a hug together. The way children understand the pure base need for contact and reassurance is astounding. its inspiring.