Good morning…
Texting is a glorious addition to the everyday life of our family of six. Fewer missed calls to return. Less long, drawn out phone conversation to awkwardly end. No forceful expectations, “Get back to me now.” Texting mutually beneficial times to talk creates greater bonding. Our ongoing string of texts allows a gentle touch, giving space and time for a genuine response. Our group family text feels like playfully skipping stones together across the open water from our common shore.
Over years of communicating with our four young adult kids, God is helping me to develop the art of texting well. Shorter is always better (the kids jokingly notice that I have yet to master this skill.) Opened-ended questions bring a better response than guilt-inducing demands. Checking in periodically feels like loving support, rather than being completely absent or becoming an annoyance. In our rhythm of relating as a family, I try to live between the guardrails Parker Palmer once taught me in the pages of his book Let Your Life Speak. “Don’t invade and don’t avoid.”
I laughed at myself just a moment ago. Our second daughter texted me a few pictures from her post-graduation trip to the beach. After commenting on the water, her beauty, and her smile that makes me smile, I initially texted: “What are your plans for today?”
I caught myself, chuckled, and changed one word. “What are your hopes for today?”
When I am really honest with myself, new insights alway dawns. Right now I realize, I care so much less about the daily plans of our kids and so much more about the hopes in their hearts.
When our characters are refined, we learn what it means to hope and anticipate God’s goodness. And hope will never fail to satisfy our deepest need because the Holy Spirit that was given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love (Romans 5:4b-5, VOICE).
…Sue…
