Ever have one of those days, when parenting drains you dry? When lil’ Princess Leia has a hysterical meltdown in the candy aisle, or mama’s boy Roy decides to taste test his fresh nose pickings during the children’s choir performance. Or drama queen Ilene screams with a vengeance those three heart-shattering words you never, ever, in a million years expected to hear: “I hate you!”
You’re just over it.
Over your head.
Overdrawn.
Overrun.
You’re sure it’s as obvious to everyone else as it is to you: you’re just not good enough.
Other parents don’t seem to have these problems; they must be doing it right. Their kids don’t flush the hamster down the toilet, bash the TV with a hockey stick, refuse to eat anything green except M&M’s, tie the neighbor dog’s legs together, wet their toothbrush without actually using it and bathe only the “important parts.”
Wait. Or do they?
I’ve got a newsflash for you, my kerfuffled friend: you’re not the only one who thinks your parental arrows are missing the bull’s-eye. We all do. On some days – okay, many days – those arrows do fly willy-nilly, but it’s okay.
Hear me? I’ll say it again: It’s okay if you miss the target. Papa God (translation of the biblical Aramaic term “Abba”) created you to be enough for the specific needs of your children.
Even when you don’t feel like it, it’s true: You. Are. Enough.
Now breathe. And try to relax a little. You’re not ruining your kids any more than your parents ruined you by their parenting mistakes (no eye-rolling, please; I’m not finished).
In fact, your heavenly Father spins many of those very mistakes to make you a better person and a better parent.
Papa God’s in the redemption business; He specializes in redeeming defective and damaged people. That would be all of us.
So when you need a hug from your heavenly Papa, crawl up into His big lap for a cuddle. He’s always waiting.
“I have loved you…with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself” (Jeremiah 31:3 NLT).
~Adapted from my newest book, Too Blessed to be Stressed for Moms.
