Parenting 101

I am not a parent, and have never had the opportunity to experience what it is like to parent, until recently. God has been teaching me so many lessons already. Some of them are sweet and wonderful, while others are difficult and make me cry. For those of you who are parents, you probably have this stuff all down, but for me, this is all new.

Even before I was old enough to consider having kids I was overwhelmed with what a huge responsibility that is. You and your spouse are responsible for the kind of adult your children will one day be. Your responses, reactions, and life choices will shape their outlook and perspective forever. Scary.

No parent is perfect, and although I would love to be the first, I know I won’t be either. I now have the opportunity to semi-parent my fiance's 7 year old daughter. This means praying, a lot, that God will fill in the gaps where I fail, and communicate love even when I don’t do it so well.

He is showing me that I am like this child. I require incredible patience, kindness and protective love. For me, this is not always easy - for Him, it is who He is.

Parenting requires laying down my own, sometimes selfish, desires and plans to put first another.  It requires careful consideration of words chosen (My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak… James 1:19) If you want, I can finish that verse, “… and slow to become angry.” yea...

Then I consider myself as a child and realize that I so often have chosen to do what I want instead of what I was instructed to do – and God did not get angry or lose His patience with me. Instead, He allowed me to make my mistake and then lovingly revealed to me why I should have done it His way, and then allowed me the opportunity to get it right.

I have, knowing the right way, chosen again and again to not listen and do things my own way. My heart has been proud, my thoughts have been selfish, and my motivations have been completely self-serving.

I get frustrated when I see these characteristics in a child… but He is teaching me to love like He does - which is not in frustration, but in complete and sincere acceptance. Discipline in love and forgiveness – instruct and be patient.

In a moment when I felt completely overwhelmed with this task, I stood inside a bathroom stall at Cracker Barrel, cried and asked God, “how can I ever do this well?” And He told me:

“Strength for today

Bright hope for tomorrow”

He will provide the strength I need today – and I have hope that tomorrow He will do the same thing. For great is HIS faithfulness unto me… and unto you.