Role of a Lifetime

 "There are worse things than being criticized - like being a coward."

Peanut and I often have times where it's just the two of us here. When we aren't schooling or playing, we grab some fuzzy blankets, a yummy snack and we curl up together and watch The Middle.

One of my better parenting moves was introducing her to The Middle.

Last week we watched an episode called The Role of a Lifetime. In the episode, the daughter decides she's tired of being the one the family counts on to create the special events. Which leads to this argument about each person's role in the family.

There is some discussion about how the dad, Mike Heck, "only plugs things in." He's the one who charges the phones, lights the pilot light, scrapes the windshields in the snow. He's the one who does the behind the scenes things.

It's one of the many episodes that always makes me cry. I won't tell you the ending so you can watch.

I was thinking this weekend that I must be our Mike.

I plug in all the things. I'm the one who changes the air filter - and creates the google calendar alert so we know when it needs to be changed. I'm the filler of the ice trays, who doesn't eat the ice. I'm the maker of the beverages, who doesn't drink them. I'm the one who makes sure everyone has the medications refilled and available to take. I make all the appointments and make sure everyone's physicals are done, the teeth are cleaned, the eyes are examined. I fight the insurance companies and follow up on the bills. People wake up to clean clothes, food to eat, and places to go.

20 year old me might be sorely disappointed.

I wanted to change the world. I got my first teaching job and also worked the after school program. I spent my summers working camps in the city. I was going to save the world one teenager at a time.

I was fiercely independent.

I was going to do BIG things.

I wasn't going to plug in all the things for all the people.

I wasn't going to be "support person" - I was going to be THE PERSON.

This morning Peanut and I read this book called Jungle Drums. It's basically about a bunch of animals in Africa (yes, we are still in Africa) who aren't happy with who they are. They *think* they want to be someone else. They want to look like the fancier animals.

It seems even in the animal kingdom, no one wants to be the one who plugs the things in.

But you know what, someone has to plug the things in.

Diligently, consistently, lovingly.

Someone has to be the support person.

People need people to plug in all the things.

Mama Warriors, maybe you sometimes feel like the warthog who just wants to be the zebra with pretty stripes or the giraffe with gorgeous spots. Maybe just once you want to win the Grand parade prize.

Maybe you feel like Mike Heck that you need to defend all you do. Maybe you question whether plugging in all the things is enough to.

I encourage you today that whatever you were called to do - it's enough. It's where you are supposed to be.

You GET to be the one who plugs in all the things.

That's the truth.

You were CHOSEN.

And as you've been plugging in all the things, God has continued to put people in your path for you to support. Because you do it well. You now "plug in" for friends, family, neighbors.

You show up.

You are needed.

You are loving God and loving others.

That's all you were commanded to do.

Published Aug 2020