Don't Forget

I laughed so hard last night. I was laying in bed reading, writing in my journal, when my son came in with a bowl of cereal. He climbed up on the bed and we began to chat.

Yesterday morning when I went to wake him, it was next to impossible. So much so that I started to panic thinking, "What if he's dead?" I yelled his name. I shook his shoulders, patted his cheeks, rocked him back and forth. It was one of those moments as a mom when your heart drops to your feet and every nerve is tingling.

I laid my hand on his chest, no rhythm. I noticed how pale he looked. I continued to talk to him, no response. I placed my two fingers on his neck to check for a pulse. As I steadied my fingers, praying to myself, he opened his eyes, smiled, and said, "Morning." Whew! What a relief! I wanted to grab and hug him. Hold him. Cry over him. Rock him and never let him go, but he was clueless.

So last night when he climbed on our bed, I told him the story of what happened. I said, "Michael, this morning when I woke you up, I thought you were dead." He laughed and said what happened?

Now imagine I'm all snuggled in bed with a toasty warm blanket on top of me. I have two books on the bed and my journal and pen in hand. I say, "Let me show you." The plan in my mind at that moment was to act out him laying in bed and what I experienced.

I put the journal on my nightstand.  I picked up the two books and set them beside the journal. Then the strangest thing happened... I turned over, snuggled deep down in my bed, gently laid my head on my pillow, and turned and looked at Michael. I took on the same posture I do every night when I go to bed. I was in full out sleep position.

Michael was confused so he paused. Wondering if this was part of the drama about to unfold, he waited. After a few seconds, he politely said, "Mom, you were going to show me." I froze. Confused and unable to recall what it was I was supposed to show him, I laid there in deep thought for about 5 seconds. My mind started to race, "What was I supposed to be doing?" Please tell me this happens to you. It's like that moment when you walk to the pantry and think, "What was I getting?" or you walk into your closet and wonder, "Why am I here?"

Luckily after a few seconds...BAM...it came to me..I was getting ready to act out the horrific morning. I said, "Oh yea!" and moved on with my original intent.

Michael busted out laughing. "Mom, how could you forget so quickly? You just said, 'Let me show you.' You put down your stuff and then you had no clue what you were doing. How does that happen?" he said between uncontrollable moments of laughter.

How does that happen? I wondered to myself, "How do I forget so quickly? How do I  forget...
God loves me.
God is with me.
He floods me with peace when I keep my mind on him.
He gives joy and hope.
He forgives me.
He is full of grace and mercy.

I think this happens all throughout my day. I am thinking about the riches of his blessings and then boom, I turn over, drive the carpool, get to work, start talking with people, and I freeze in life forgetting that God loves me and He is with me offering peace, joy, hope, grace, forgiveness, mercy.
I lose focus on Him and loving others and I snuggle up in the business of my life and miss what He wants me to know.

God, in the moments when I get distracted, forget my true purpose in life, and snuggle in to the world, whisper in my ear, "Don't forget, I am here."