Little Teachers

Recently, I came across a book, Sacred Parenting, that is challenging me to take a closer look at myself and the work God is doing in my heart as I parent my children.  The main premise of the book is that parenting is as much a molding of the parent as it is the child.  God uses parenting to teach us transcendent lessons.  Lessons on how to sacrifice, how to handle guilt, how to laugh, how to live courageously, how to face our inadequacy, how to grieve, how to pray.....the lessons are never ending.

Parenting is like a mirror that shows us the inner workings of our souls.  If there is selfishness, parenting will expose it.  If there is impatience, it will be seen in our children's faces. If there is friction in the marriage relationship, the inconsistencies will show their fruit in our children's hearts.  If we are willing to see, the Lord will reveal the ugliness so that He can strip it away and transform it.

A couple of evenings ago, I was rocking my 4 week old baby to sleep.  He had started in the swing but grew tired of it within a couple of minutes.  My oldest son had loved his swing and could go to sleep in it without a fuss.  I found myself wishing my newest little one could do the same.  On the surface this seemed like a reasonable desire from a tired momma's heart but as I looked deeper, I found a hidden resentment on having to spend the time to rock my baby to sleep.

I closed my eyes and I prayed: "Lord, what is it that you want to teach me right now?"  The answer was instant, "I want you to learn to be in relationship.  I want you to value closeness more than the accomplishing of tasks." The conviction pierced deep. I am a person who loves to do, do, do.  I often separate myself from others for the sake of the task that needs to be done.

I settled into the moment of being with my tired baby knowing that God was doing a refining work in me.  My baby with his dislike for the swing was teaching me about the value of closeness.  He was teaching me about relationship.  My heart worshiped as I realized the depth of God's wisdom and grace.

As I go through my days, there is an underlying sense of excitement because God is in all things.  The question is, 'will I see Him?' Will I have the opportunity to commune with Him?' For me, parenting from this place of anticipation makes the journey not so lonely because I know that God is here right next to me.


Thank you Lord Jesus for the refining work you are doing within me.  Open my eyes that I would see more clearly and embrace more fully the path you have set before me.  Help me to walk it with grace and love, holding your hand every step.  Every step.  Amen.