Parenting: the great unknown

I've tried so many times before to separate my life.  To divide it in to sections... to compartmentalize parenting from the rest of my life.  It's just not meant to be.  So when my kid is going through something, I'm going through something.  Sometimes, I've realized, they may not even know they are going through something.  They are still too young to know the devastating affects sin has on our world. They don't yet get that sometimes life is complicated and painful.  They thankfully know nothing of failed expectations, comparison traps and doubt. But as parents, do we ever understand these things.  I was struggling yesterday with frustrating results and hard decisions in regards to one of our kiddos. I've learned being a parent of adopted children and those born through you that the unknown is inevitable.  It makes no difference how they come to you, their future is a mystery to us.  Because we don't know, it can cause us to doubt and be anxious over the bumpiness that is life.

I've recently, as many have, fallen in love with the song, Oceans by United.  One day while we were listening to it in the car, my daughter asked what she meant by walk upon the water.  I told her about Jesus and Peter. How Jesus had called him to step out onto the water with him.  How Peter could see Jesus was not sinking and knew he could trust him.  She listened with amazement when I told her Peter did just that....stepped out onto the water.  But then he doubted.  I told her that even though Peter knew Jesus was faithful and had seen his miracles, he didn't trust him with his life.  How because he feared, he started to sink. She looked concerned.  Then I comforted her by telling how though Peter didn't trust and started to sink, Jesus saved him.

Parenting is a lot like this, I feel.  Jesus calls us into the unknown.  Something we've never done before. Places we've never gone to, with emotions we've never had.  He gives us His Word and shows us His faithfulness.  So excitedly, we step out onto the water with grand expectations of this new adventure.  Then, just like parenting, we start seeing the overwhelming waves around us.  Our sight is blurred by the mist from the waters around us and the wind is strong against us.  We fear what will happen to us, happen to our children.  We start to sink.

The _________(waves) will overcome us.

Put whatever circumstances into that blank that you're facing right now as a parent.  Frustrating behavior problems, health scares, failings at school, troubles with sleeping at night. Whatever it might be, when the waves are lapping at our ankles, it all seems too much doesn't it.

I love this set of lyrics from that song, Oceans:

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Thankfully, Peter sinking into the waters was not the end of the story.  This moment of fear and frustrating circumstances is not the end of your story.  Jesus reached out his hand and caught Peter.  Then when they returned to the boat and the wind stopped, they worshiped Him as the Son of God.

So I didn't find it a coincidence that after such a rough day worrying over one of my little lambs that God reminded me of this truth.  I signed up for the emailed daily scripture from www.ifequip.com to help me make God's Word more of a priority in my life.  Yesterday's scripture was John 6:16-21, the story of Jesus and Peter walking on the water.  Thank you, Jesus, that I'm not alone and you won't let me sink.

So don't let yourself stay in that position of feeling overcome by the waves slapping against you. Reach out for Jesus and then when the wind dies down (and it will), worship Him.