Lately, my sweet little blooming toddler has refused to eat the food presented to her at dinner. Things she used to love. Foods in the past she gobbled up as quickly as possible now evoke hot tears.
The first night this happened, I stared in confusion. Really, she isn’t going to eat the noodles? She is shoving those black beans right off her tray. Did she not just see me make this meal for her?
Why, oh why can’t she be different from the other toddlers…the ones before her and the ones to come after? God, can’t my child be the different one?
I laugh at myself as these thoughts roll out of my head and down in the blank white space. I know they are silly, illogical but nonetheless, they are there. Stirring me up, keeping me from focusing on the important facts. The good things. How she throws away her trash on a regular basis. How she often puts her toys away at the end of the night. How she makes me laugh and loves to dance around the room with me.
I forget I am the mother. I am the leader, trainer. I am a woman for her to giggle with, learn from, experience the difficulties of discipline with and find grace and patience in. It is a high calling. A beautiful calling. God chose us, mothers, to bring these things to our children. God is choosing to use us, mothers and fathers, daily to grow up the next generation. God loves us, trusts us that much. Wow!
Being a mother or father is not for the faint of heart. It is full of daily challenges. Day after day the unseen, unnoticed tasks. The work behind the curtain is rarely pointed out during the show. No, it’s at the end. At the end of a brilliant production, hands clap for the light and sound guys. At the end of the show, God will acknowledge. He sees you! He knows the hard work you are doing and He thanks you.
The light and sound crew is important in every production. You are important in the life of your children even when you don’t feel like it. You are making a greater impact than you know.
The next time your child throws dinner on the floor…remember God sees you! He knows. He cares!
1 Peter 5:7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. ESV
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. NKJV
Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. NLT
As I meditated on 1 Peter 5:7, casting all my cares on Him, what does that mean in a practical sense? Much of what we do is “behind the curtain” and anxiety tends to come with that. God promises peace when I’m walking in step with Him. He promises to guide me- give me ideas- show me the best way when I am willing to listen to Him and obey what He asks me to do.