One LONG Game of Ping-Pong

I woke up this morning and realized I had forgotten my mother's birthday yesterday.

Of course she is gracious and says, "I knew you'd remember at some point!" after Briggs and I called to sing Happy Belated Birthday on her voicemail. But still, I hate missing birthdays...especially my mom's. This year I'm not sure I remembered a single family birthday on time, and this bothers me a lot, actually.

So this morning, after I perch Briggs in front of "Little Einsteins" for the gazillionth time to actually catch my breath, I ask the "why?" Why do I seem to miss important events, forget to write my loved ones, and in general feel like I'm just one step behind every turn of the way? In the brief moment of respite as Blaire settles down for a nap, Briggs learns "moderato" from that clever little show, and I reheat my coffee for the 3rd time this morning, it dawns on me:

My life is one LONG game of Ping-Pong.

I LOVE ping-pong. It's exhilarating, fun, challenging, and just the right length of time for an intense amount of focus. 21 points, done.

But this ping-pong phase of life is shaping up to be a whole lot longer than 21 points. And ping-pong is only fun when I have the freedom to say, "Nah, let's take a break and play again in an hour."

So here I am, taking a break from the ping-pong madness of "just another day in the life of being a mom" to actually reflect on how taxing it truly is.

Do you feel this way too? Especially you parents juggling the normal demands of life, on top of raising 2 (or more!) children who need your attention CONSTANTLY! Well this is my life, and it's no excuse (of course) for missing my mother's birthday, but it does give me some needed perspective.

I ping from a crying baby, to a toddler who cries because he wants to be the baby.
I pong from picking up toys, to picking up my own toiletries used as toys.
I ping from meal, to dishes, to meal, to dishes, to messes on the counter and floor, walls, and more.
I pong from phone conversations of intense depth to toddler conversations of immense joy.
I ping from blow-outs to constipation, nursing to spit-up, laundry to folding and folding again.
I pong from responsibilities that remain undone to relationships that need my tending.
I ping from irrepressible love for my darlings, to irritating frustration beyond measure.
I pong from friends, to family, to neighbors, to colleagues, to church members, to friends from afar, back to that insistent toddler who wants to know he has my undying affection (and he does).

In the midst of the ping-pong tournament of a lifetime, I also feel pulled between engaging the truly significant issues going on in the world (not the least of which is world hunger)- and just trying to figure out what my own kids will eat for their next meal.

And sometimes this mentally, physically, and emotionally overloaded mom just needs to say, "I'll take a break and play again in an hour." Because ping-pong is one of the greatest games I know, but unless I'm up for the exhilaration and challenge, it isn't worthwhile at all.

So join me in pushing pause on your own game of ping-pong long enough to make someone's day (especially if it's your mom's birthday). And when we've finished that needed conversation or written that special note, we can resume the challenge of the pings and pongs life brings our way.

When I need some spiritual perspective through all this, I recall Jesus saying, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

AJ captured a pretty typical scene: me ping-ponging between work and motherhood.