7:11 a.m.

7:11 am.
“Mom can we play a board game?”

I looked at my almost 12 year old son and said, “right now?” I mean, after all, I was just sitting on the couch, groggy, drinking coffee and the idea of a board game wasn’t really in my morning plan.

After I said, “right now?” he gave me the look of nevermind.

I saw it. He knew. He knew that my question probably meant “not right now” or “maybe” or “we’ll see” or any of the other things I say when I don’t want to do something but don’t say no.

And then I thought, “why in the world am I saying no to playing a board game right now?” There was no reason to say no, honestly.

So I said, “what game?”

And as he grabbed Sorry! from the shelf I thought about how life is really not about the perfect schedule or always playing the game or doing everything right – it’s about being aware of our responses and being willing to set down our busy at times for the sake of the moment and their hearts.

So we played the game.

It was fifteen minutes long.

That was it.

Nothing else changed. No one else got up. The dishes are still waiting. My coffee is colder. But my heart is warmer. And friends, so is his.

You see, the other day, his brother said, “you are always so busy, but if you would just play, we’d play with you….” And he was right. Not in the guilt me way, but in the truth way.

I am busy.

It’s a fact, truly. There aren’t many free moments. And his words stuck with me so much that this morning, as I was just sitting there I decided that this morning I would be busy in a different way.

I played a game.

At 7:11 am.

And friends, it was just what this busy mom needed.

So have grace on yourself. Be kind. You won’t always be able to play the games. There will be times when you say no because you just need to sit and there will be times when you say no because you have to keep going. But there are also times you will say yes. Love the whole story. The trying, the loving, the giving.

And when you say yes, be proud of yourself. Truly. Because I know how hard it is to change the story.

But sometimes it is totally worth it.

~Rachel