I was on my hands and knees picking cereal off the floor before someone stepped on it and obliterated the tiny circles into thousands of specks of sticky dust.
The time was around the 3 o’clock hour, and I’m not sure how that hour goes in your home, but at 3 o’clock in my home, I often feel the cross come down heavier on my shoulder.
By 3pm my children and I have been together through the day’s prayer time, work time, and play time, and everyone is starting to get tired and in need of space.
Though “quiet time” was once well-accepted, it is currently being challenged, despite my best efforts to rename it “creative time,” “relaxing time,” and even “unicorn time.” All in vain.
As I gathered the dispersed cereal pieces, I said aloud exactly how I felt: “Lord, no one sees me.”
Even though I was surrounded by my children and dog (disappointed for lack of a cereal snack), I felt unseen in my efforts, my tiredness.
But, as quickly as I spoke out words of pity for myself, the next words came: “But, you see me.”
The Lord sees me. And the Lord sees you.
When humble tasks of my day begin to weary me, I have started to say, “this matters to you, Lord.”
Waking up early to pray and write: “this matters to you, Lord.”
Preparing nourishing foods (however simple) for my family: “this matters to you, Lord.”
Cleaning dishes for the food I just prepared and is already gone: “this matters to you, Lord.”
Slowing down to practice being present with my children, even though being productive is more appealing to my ego: “this matters to you, Lord.”
Making efforts to pray and go to Mass with my children: “this matters to you, Lord.”
Our daily works, whatever they may be, matter to the Lord and he sees us as we do them. More than that, when we make the confession: “You see me, Lord,” we realize the Lord not only sees us, but is with us.
We breathe out those words of truth, and God breathes his Spirit into us.
And with the Lord’s Spirit in us, we get up off the floor, cereal in hand, a little more ready for what’s next.
I was JUST with a group of women this morning and we were talking about not feeling seen in our work of motherhood. Thank you for this beautiful reminder!
What a beautiful reminder that we are all seen, known, and loved!