This Sunday my pastor mentioned, “There are no guarantees in parenting”. Inwardly I groaned, I whined, and I ranted at God. “But I want one!” I want a guarantee that my children will turn out all right. (And while we are at it, I would like a definition of that ‘all right’!) After a rough week with the kids, I want more than a suggestion to try (believe me I have prolly tried it anyway). I don’t want platonic reassurances, and I certainly don’t want to be told ‘there are no guarantees!”. I like simplicity, and consistency: “do x get result y”. I want proof that it will work. I want assurance that this method, or that method will turn out well-behaved civilized adults, with great money sense, a great spouse, and job they love.
But as the sermon went on, I came to the realization that’s why I need faith, faith that I can do this, faith that they will turn out all right. Faith that God has a plan for them, faith that they wont go to college in diapers or sleep in my bed forever, faith that one day they will dress and feed themselves, even drive themselves (hopefully to work not crazy). With no promise or guarantee I need faith that they will, one day, make good choices in food, health and love.
As I returned home with my family the true test comes. Will renewed faith in God’s plan translate to new tricks and better-behaved children? I doubt it, but I might at least be in a better mood trying!
An end to a bad week.
June 19th, 2006 at 06:53 pm
June 21st, 2006 at 09:49 pm 1150926575
June 22nd, 2006 at 12:56 pm 1150981016
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