I'll Be There

With the death of the "King of Pop" this past week, the news has been full of stories about the life of this very talented, but obviously troubled man. It got me to thinking, though, about all of the "hit" songs he had and some of my fondest memories of Michael Jackson were when he was a part of the Jackson 5. That cute little boy with the high-pitched voice.

The one song of Jackson's that really sticks out in my mind is "I'll Be There". I can still remember being at the county fair with 3 of my very best friends in the early 70's, when that song was being played over the loud speaker system throughout the fairgrounds. To this day, when I hear this song, it conjures up fond memories of fresh-cooked corn dogs and french fries sprinkled with salt and vinegar!

You may recall that the chorus went something like this:

Don't you know, baby, yeah
I'll be there, I'll be there, just call my name, I'll be there

(Just look over your shoulders, honey )
I'll be there, I'll be there, whenever you need me, I'll be there

As I was reminiscing about those days some 25+ years ago and the lyrics to that song, God began to take me in a different direction with my thoughts. As a wife and mother like so many of you, I feel like I am pulled in so many directions. Many days I feel overwhelmed by all the tasks that I need to accomplish that day. I do laundry, answer phone calls and emails, pay bills, shop for groceries, make dinner, clean house AND work a full-time job OUTSIDE the home. 

I am a serious list maker and I LOVE the feeling of being able to cross off something on my to-do-list when I have completed it. As I have confessed to you before, I have even been known to write down something on my list AFTER I have already completed it, just so I could mark it off the list! That's pretty bad, huh?

Sometimes in an effort to multi-task and be able to cross off more things on my list, I find that I do not give the proper amount of attention to my family members. When my little granddaughter is asking me question number 200 in the last 30 minutes, I find that I am not really listening to her, but rather preoccupied about what I need to accomplish that night before bedtime. Or, when my husband is telling me about his day, my mind is thinking about what I am going to fix for dinner or my day at work and I'm not really listening.

God reminded me that I need to be there for my family - to give love and attention to my family members - not just try to check things off of my never-ending task list.  I need to learn to prioritize and realize that it is OK for some things to wait. 

Lord, I want to be there for my family. When my husband comes in the house at the end of his day, help me to get off the computer or phone and give him my undivided attention. When I pick up my granddaughter from daycare, help me to give her my full attention as she recounts all of the "events" of her day. When one of my children call and I am in the middle of cooking dinner, help me, Lord, to stop what I'm doing and listen to their concerns.

I want my family to know that I'll Be There for them!

"She looks well to the ways of her household,

And does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and bless her;

Her husband, also, and he praises her"

Proverbs 31:27-28