fillin' the love tanks

Today, during a short-lived coloring session with the oldest daughter, I watched her.  Really watched her.
She had a constant smile on her face.
A look of total contentment.
And she would occasionally look up at me and smile expectedly, with an expression that said, "Am I doing a good job, mom?"
It was the same expression she gives when we read books together.
It only lasted 15 minutes before she declared it was time for her to move on to her next project, and made it clear I was not invited.
Her love tank had been filled.

After eating lunch today with the kids, the 2 middle children wandered away to do whatever was next on their agenda, and the baby was napping, so the oldest son and I were left sitting there alone.
But with each other. 
We both had empty bowls in front of us, yet we continued to sit there.
And we visited.
We talked about hunting, football, school friends...
And he had that same look on his face that oldest daughter had earlier.
Contentment.  Happiness.
And then, out of the blue, he stood up and said, "Ok, I'm gonna go play outside now."
His love tank had been filled.

2 Peter 3:8 says: But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

Much like with children.




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