In the Dailies

Have you seen the commercials for the movie Get Smart? My husband really wants to see this. In one of the commercials Agent Smart is flying through traffic or something next to a minivan. The kid in the back yells out: “Mom! Mom! Mom!” His mother halts her cell phone conversation to yell into the backseat: “Brad! Brad! Brad! Do you see how annoying that is?!”

Every mom can relate. We want to be there for our kids when they really need us, like when some man is flying by the car as we drive or the wrong thing gets flushed down the toilet, but the effect is lost when the “wolf” call is made too many times in less than dire situations. Or when they simply aren’t talking to us at all!

Here’s an actual conversation from this morning:

Ellie: “Mom!”
Me: “Yeah, babe?”
Ellie: “Mom!”
Me: “Yes?”
Ellie: “Mommy?”
Me: “What?”
Ellie: “Mom-meeeeee!”
Me: “What??”
Ellie: “MOM!!”
Me: “What?!! What do you want?”
Ellie: “Um …. um … um …”
And then she drifts off, not even looking at me.
I leave the room.
Three minutes later: “Mom!”
I return already frustrated from the earlier exchange: “Ellie. If you have something to tell me, just tell me. I’ve answered you a number of times and you’re not saying anything. If you call me, talk to me. Do you understand?”
Ellie: “Yes, Mom. Mom?”
Me: “Yes?”
Ellie: “Can I tell you something?”
Me: “Yes?”
Ellie: “Flowers smell nice.”

Ten minutes later I hear this from the basement where I’m doing laundry:
“MOM!! I NEED YOU!!!!”
I race up the stairs, but my kids’ voices are quite similar so I have no idea who made the distress call. Ellie’s sitting on the toilet and Zach is playing cars just outside the bathroom.
Me: “Who needs help?”
Ellie: “Zach.”
Zach: “No, I don’t.”
Me: “Zach, are you okay? Do you need something?”
Zach: “No.”
Me: “Ellie, what happened?”
Ellie: “Nothing.”
Me: “Did you call me?”
Ellie: “No.”
Me: “Who called me?”
Ellie: “I did.”
Me: “Why?”
Ellie: “I love you!”

I hate it when people use my name in vain. My mother seemed to think I was being sacriligious the first time I used this phrasing, but this is exactly what I mean to say. I cannot stand it when people call out to me without purpose. If there is no reason to use my name, then don’t. It’s irritating. Exasperating. And yes, annoying. I love my children to pieces! I love being their mom! But there is no reason for them to scream as if a limb has been severed when all they want to say is that they love me. There are better ways to give me this wonderful message.

Kinda makes me wonder how God feels when His name is used in vain. We say we love Him, to, but how often do we actually say it in a way that shows the heart of that message? You hear a hollow yet emphatic “Jesus” or “God” exclaimed much more frequently than you might hear “Tanya!” or “Oh my John!” I don’t want to be a Neuman where my name becomes a curse word and yet that’s just what has happened to the name of Christ. My heart cinches every time I hear someone use His name in vain. Can you imagine how hurtful this must be to Him? Imagine how many times God hears people call out to Him without purpose or meaning. Shame on us as a culture.