Letting God Work

This is a blog post I wrote several months ago, but for some reason never published. Reading it, I still feel it is wroth sharing. :-)


Parenting is hard work. It is. Whether you homeschool or not you are constantly teaching and training your children. you help with math problems and projects. You kiss boo boos and wipe tears. You text and snap pictures and make silly faces. You hold and cuddle and encourage. And you know your children better than anyone. 

Anyone except God.

Let that sink in a minute. God knows your children better than you do. He knows your teenager better than the best friend they have had for 12 years. He loves them more than you do, too. That tiny (or bigger-than-you) human that you would not hesitate to throw your self in front of a bullet for -- God loves that one so much more than you can imagine. Just like he loves you. 

Does that overwhelm you a little?

When you parent your child, that child that GOD, the creator of the UNIVERSE knows and loves, does it freak you out a little? It does me. 

I have a 5 year old - you know how they like to watch a movie over and over? Today's feature was the second Shrek movie. The one where Fiona is pregnant. And I have seen that movie so many times, but this line struck me today. When Shrek is bemoaning his upcoming fatherhood, he says he's not afraid of a baby ruining HIS life, he's afraid he'll ruin THERE'S. 

Ah. Yes. Can you relate? 

Afraid you will push too hard or not enough? Do you fear you do too much for your child? Or not enough because there are so many other things in your life right now? Do you think wistfully about making radical changes in your life that you think you need to make, but are gripped by what if's?

All parents have a little trepidation about raising kids. Or at least they SHOULD have! It is a BIG deal to raise a child. There is A LOT of responsibility. And even with a great support group/village/family you, the parent, bear the bulk of that responsibility. Whether you are a fixer, helicopter mom or busy mom, or even think you've got it right with natural consequences balanced with lots of love, there are times when we all feel the weight of raising children. They don't come with instruction books and we won't always make the right choice when dealing with them. 

But there is so much good news here. It is OK. Really. We don't have to be perfect. 

Don't hear me saying we don't have to try to be the greatest parents ever. Yep, you do have to give it your best. And deep down, you may know you have some area you need to work on. 

But I'm hoping to encourage you today. God is working in your child's life, too. Whether you are a Christian or not. God is working on you and your child. He wants to be a part of your life and he has chosen to love you and them faults and all. He is drawing you closer -- listen, I think you will hear it.

You know how it is when you see something in your children -- a potential for something good and wonderful, but they are fearful or unsure of themselves. It is hard not to push them. However, God (often through glorious circumstances) is good to push his children in just the right direction. Gently and lovingly. 

I think that may be happening today. 

As I drive up the dirt road to my in laws' house I saw a squirrel flopping on the road. Afraid it would be run over, I stopped and got out. I got it to flop onto a towel and I picked it up and put it beside the road, wrapped in the towel. I called Evelyn and asked if she wanted me to bring it home to her. She said she'd go get it, which she did.

When *I* tried to get close to it, it flailed and tried to get away. Evelyn had no trouble like that. She picked it up (she wore heavy duty gloves) and put it in a box and brought it home. Just like that. 

A few hours later she can pick it up, turn it and lay it down, and it doesn't even seem to mind. She's just like that. Animals trust her.

She has given it water and infant's pain reliever through a medicine dropper. It responds to her so well. But it is weak. One arm is wounded, one eye won't open. It can't use its back legs well. Probably not going to live long.

But oh that girl! She says she can't be a vet because she doesn't want to put animals down and because she can't stand gore. But as I write this she is bandaging the squirrel's bloody arm with no problems. She's already bathed it with cotton swabs, gently rinsing away the blood from its tiny wounds.

As she works, she knows, i think, that this poor little thing will die. She speaks maturely about the possibility of it dying. 

I'm so proud of her heart for animals. I know she has the capacity to be a vet. I've seen it for a long time. God may be working on a future vet here. But I have no idea if that is what she will choose to do. I don't mind either way. My only hope for her (and my other children) is that fear isn't the reason she says no. Fear should not determine our life path. Today is a great step in the right direction. Whether she becomes a vet or not. Today she overcame fear.

Makes me wonder -- what is God working on in my life? How about you?