Snuggles

No, it’s not the name of a new pet or an indy rock band. It’s what my kids ask for. After a hard morning, a long day, a moment of uncertainty or anxiety or in a sudden urge to share love. I have one in particular who will just randomly come up to me and say “I need snuggles.”

Now, before you say “Oh… how sweet! Treasure those moments.” you must know that of the 5 Love Languages, physical touch is at the bottom for me. I am a hugger, but not a snuggler. So in the midst of a hard morning, after a long day, in a moment of uncertainty or anxiety, I do NOT get the sudden urge to snuggle. Snuggling would be the absolute last thing I would want – do want – to do.

But it’s the right thing for the other person to feel loved and I want to love my children well.

So what’s a girl to do?

Maybe it’s not snuggles that cause you this struggle. Maybe it’s a kind word after a spill. Maybe it’s a deep breath after your kid breaks something. Maybe it’s 30 minutes of undivided attention when you have many deadlines looming. Maybe it’s the gift of a home-cooked meal when all you want to do is sit on the couch and eat cereal.

What it is, is grace.

What we are faced with is providing an act of grace when we don’t want to. That’s the real question isn’t it? In that moment, when we want to just veg on our phone, yell out our frustration, finish the task at hand, pee in solitude (ok, maybe that’s not quite the same…), drink our coffee first before having to talk to anyone else but the kid just wet the bed…

In those moments, we are faced with a space for grace.

So what’s a girl to do?

On a good day (or when I realize I need to turn things around for a good moment in a bad day), I take a breath, open my arms and give the snuggles.

And often, it is just a moment of grace that is needed to assure my kid that mom is love.

Perhaps the same is true for us. Perhaps, after a hard morning, a long day, a moment of uncertainty or anxiety or in a sudden urge to share love, all we need is just a moment of grace. An encouraging word, a hug, a good conversation, an unexpected gift, a chore done for us – just a small act of grace that tells us that we are loved.

If that is you today, hear this:

You are who you are through this gift and call of Jesus Christ! And I greet you now with all the generosity of God our Father and our Master Jesus, the Messiah. -Romans 1:7, The Message

Generous grace is yours today. Take a moment, breath deep, and open your arms to Jesus.