It’s ‘Five minute Friday’ time, joining with Lisa-Jo Baker.
She gives us 1 word,
we write for 5 minutes flat – no backtracking or editing, throwing caution to the wind.
Check out others’ five-minute offerings by clicking on the button below.

I lie on the sofa, reading through someone’s blog post.
I am reading about a family in hospital. Their baby isn’t growing, despite being fed, and they don’t know why. Their other kids are being looked after while they’re at the hospital, and all the while the doctors are saying that they don’t know what’s wrong. It looks like they might have to try-
“Are you ready for dinner?”
– a feeding tube that goes straight into his intestine, because his stomach can’t absorb any more than that. The parents are tired, but they’re trusting in God. I’m aching for them, and I want to say something profound. There’s another thought that is at the back of my mind, but I can’t quite place what that is. I start to write. “I’m so sorry to hear-”
“Seriously – dinner’s ready. Are you coming?”
Now I am torn – half in a world of hospitals and People Who Need My Support and Prayers. I am busy and important, and just in the middle of something. And there’s something else calling and I know that I need to conjure a word from somewhere as a delaying tactic. I just can’t quite get the concentration together to work out what that word should be. Like someone half-asleep who’s trying to reach for the snooze button on the alarm clock, my mind grasps for the right word that will work, whilst trying to type in “of the awful situation with your baby-”
Too late. Jon is at the door, and his face wears the expression of disappointment and non-surprise. I look up from my iPad guiltily.
“Do I have your full attention? Dinner’s ready.”
“Yes, I’m coming. I’m here.”
********
I am so often halfway here and halfway across the world in other people’s stories. I don’t even realise it. (I make a mental note to be more tolerant when my toddler doesn’t come straightaway when I call. Perhaps he’s busy and important too).
I put my half-written comment down. I am here, here in my house, here and present with my husband and my boy, no longer halfway but wholly.
Over to you:
- Is this a scenario that is familiar in your family? Who’s the offending party?
- How easy do you find it to be fully present with others in this digital age?
And when there is a good moment, please pray for this family.
Oh yes, I definitely relate to this – and the culprit is usually me!
My kids seem to be tuned to the sound of the keyboard tapping. As soon as that sound starts, they neeeeeed something right now, or all hell breaks loose in the livingroom, so it’s pretty rare for me to get more than half of a sentence typed before having to stop for some reason. Very Frustrating.
On the other hand, I am the only mother they’ve got, and maybe I should be more ‘present’ with them, instead of escaping to my alternate reality of blogland. 🙂
Well, I’m glad it’s not just me! I guess one good thing about the digital age is that it used to be telephones all the time. It’s a lot easier to just pause in the middle of writing a sentence than interrupt a phonecall. Who knows, maybe we’re actually MORE attentive as parents than previous generations??
Thanks for stopping by!
Loved finding you via Five Minute Friday. Your post could have been a night at our house- that would be on the computer and my husband trying to get my attention (along with a five yr old boy) Sometimes the ‘here’ I’m into on my computer is a good place to be….and yet I do need to pull away and be fully here too.
Looking forward to reading more….writing on suffering and faith is significant and not often found. Thank you for your words.
Thanks so much, Melanie! Lovely to discover your blog too. Thanks for your encouraging words about my blog – do consider subscribing by email or liking my Facebook page. Blessings!
Hi Tanya, I can very much identify with this – and it is almost always ME who is the offending party! I suppose we need to balance interactions with friends and our families regardless of whether online or in person. But the internet sure blurs the boundaries big time.
Hi there! Good points about the need to balance different kinds of interactions – this is definitely true. Great to see you on here – thanks for stopping by!
Visiting you back from FMF…
Thanks for your comment on my post. You’re right; great minds think alike!
I agree that there is so much goodness online but it’s also important to enjoy real life. Best wishes to your family!
High-five!
Oh Tanya, your post grabs my heart and draws it in. I am right here with you. I am so often challenged to be fully Here, fully Present. My heart’s desire is to live fully right in the moment. Thank you for your words, so honest and beautiful here. Its so nice to meet you, friend. Visiting from Lisa-Jo’s. Great 5 Minute Friday. Happy Weekend to you.
So lovely to see you again! Thanks for your kind words. 🙂
Tanya, Girl I totally feel you on this. I struggle too with finding a balance of where my attention lies. To be with my family and present with my family are two different things. I am with them but my attention is focused across the blogsphere. Somewhere in a blog, in Facebook or Pintrest. THank you for the reminder to be fully, wholly “here” with my family. -Becky
Yes – it’s hard to be fully ‘present’ (which I guess involves using eye contact rather than just a grunt from the top of an iPad!) I constantly need to remind myself of these things.
Thanks for coming by here today!