I’m at the parenting stage now where my kids feel safe to reveal some childhood shenanigans of which I was unaware.
Recently, I was privy to a conversation among the brothers about a practical joke that took place some 20 years ago. Tremendous laughter ensued with all but one son excited to recount the story.
Back in those days, dinner was a real freak show. The chaos of ravenous children rough-housing and the promise of some sort of food to fill their bellies made for a noisy gathering. Let me tell you, there were no fancy four-course meals and thankfully posting a picture of your dinner on social media wasn’t yet invented.
A seat was empty at the table and when asked, the brothers were quick to report that Cam was eating at a friend’s. No further investigation. I knew the friend and frankly, as a mom of small kids, I was just fighting to get through the day.
Recently, amid this joking at Cam’s expense, I learned that he was, in fact, at home that day. Well, he was on the property. While they relaxed together, devouring every last crumb, their younger brother was in the backyard duct-taped to a lawn chair.
WHAT?? Nooooooooo!
Restrained and helpless, my little boy couldn’t move a muscle. His pitiful cries went unheard and not a soul was rushing to his aid. It wasn’t fair. It made no sense. That young lad, frustrated and starving, was missing out. Discouraged, his mind searched wondering why his mom, protector, nurturer and chief cook, would not answer his pleas for help.
Have you ever felt this way? Life is not fair. You are powerless, excluded, abandoned, a spectator watching from the sidelines as others go about their wonderful lives?
Listen, sister I’ve been there too. In overwhelming and significant things and also less tragic but equally puzzling daily occurrences. So what do we know to be true?
We know that feelings are NOT truth.
Nobody said life would be fair. As a matter of fact, God says quite the opposite. We will have trouble in this world, but we can have peace.
And we know that God himself hears our cries. He never leaves us in the hard, He is the God of compassion. He hears our cries and comes to our aid.
Often life doesn’t make sense to us in the moment. I can see only the present and remember a small part of the past. But God is not restricted by time. He is in the past, present and future and fully understands all things.
I believe that this Creator of the universe has the power to rescue you and me. He promises this. We can trust Him.
And even though He is all-powerful, He desires a relationship with us. Doesn’t that just blow your mind? It does mine! And that is the kind of truth that I choose to remember.
♥ Tess
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12-13
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12
♥ Tess
