“How are you taking it?”

As a stay-at-home mom, sometimes I forget how desperate I can be for adult interaction.  I am likely to get involved in lengthy conversations with the grocery store clerk, the local librarian, and I think I’ve even talked the ear off of a telemarketer or two.  This issue was highlighted for me recently when my foster daughter had been struggling with a fever for a couple days.  I called the doctor’s office and was connected with a friendly nurse who asked me some questions.  After I described our little girl’s symptoms and how high her fever had gotten the nurse asked, “How are you taking it?”  I let out a huge sigh and said, “Well, it’s been tough because I’ve been under a lot of stress recently, but she’s eating and sleeping well so I haven’t been too worried.”  The nurse paused for a minute and clarified: “No, I mean, how are you taking her temperature- orally, under her arm?”  I contained my humiliation just well enough to get her instructions on what to watch for with our girl, but I could feel the heat rising to my face.

I am so thankful that God always wants to hear how I’m taking it.  That He cares about all those details of my life.  And I’m thankful He instructs us to function as a Body that depends on each other for support and encouragement.  When I find myself looking for reasons to keep talking to the person who dialed my house by mistake, that’s when I know I need to be investing more in the lives of the moms around me who may be struggling the same way.  Maybe if I’m expressing empathy and comfort to my other mom friends, I won’t be quite so likely to need it from the already over-taxed pediatric nurse.