When Moms Feel UnseenSample

Sabbath is a day set aside each week to experience the fullness of God’s shalom. Many families attend church, rest, and delight in God’s creation. Many parents, though, find it hard to rest and delight when we are raising young children.

While Sabbath is a commandment, God did not institute it as an onerous obligation. As Jesus reminds us in Mark 2, the Sabbath was made for us. Rather than berating yourself for all the ways you think you are falling short on keeping the Sabbath, you might embrace one small moment of God’s shalom with your family.

Since you’ve been experiencing all the ways God sees, hears, and loves you this week, why not try a simple Sabbath activity with your children—one where they, too, can learn about El Roi, the God who sees them.

One of the greatest gifts we can give to our children is the gift of seeing them and hearing them. This week, take time at a meal to “see” and “hear” each other. You might start by saying:

This week, I read a story in the Bible about a woman named Hagar. From her, I learned that God delights in us. That means that it makes God happy to see us and hear us. When we enjoy seeing and hearing each other, just like God saw and heard Hagar, we reflect God’s love.

Next, give each family member a chance to affirm one another with an “I saw” or “I heard” statement. Try either:

1. “I saw . . .”

• your kind heart at the park yesterday
• how well you listened to your brother tell us about the game
• how your face lit up when you ate that ice cream
• you working really hard on your math unit even when you found it difficult

followed by: “I love seeing you.”

2.“I heard . . .”

• you playing basketball in the driveway for hours
• you laughing with your friends on the phone
• you singing in the shower
• asking politely for your sister to share the toy
• the worry in your voice when you talked about going to camp

followed by: “I love hearing you.”

Finally, you can end by praying, "God, thank you that you see us, hear us, and delight in us. Help make us more and more like you so we can see, hear, and delight in each other." Amen.