Fire and Water

Last post I mentioned having had the opportunity to spend a couple of days in Galveston with some of the family. Tom and I were lucky enough to have all three of our grandsons there at the same time. It really was such fun watching them interact, seeing their individual personalities at play and observing their means of meshing those traits together in a way that gave sincere joy to each of them.

It made me think back to when my own kids were growing up. We were blessed with four precious children, all unique in their own way. My grandmother was fond of saying, "You can have a whole houseful of kids, and no two will be alike." Truth. I'll admit, there may have been some similarities between them, but they were each their own people.

Some are like fire... little Bravehearts, rushing headlong into adventure, moving at the speed of light. Some are like water... calm, placid, measured, steady-as-she-goes. I had some of both, or at least elements of both in my own children, and I had lots of in-between. As I had the time to watch my grandchildren over those couple of days I couldn't help but marvel... marvel at the beauty and skill and wisdom...oh, yes, wisdom of God's creation and plan.

I thought about that verse in Jeremiah, chapter 1. In verse 5, God tells Jeremiah that before He formed Jeremiah in the womb, He knew him... and that before Jeremiah was born, God set him apart. I love that verse. I love that verse especially as a parent. When God said that He "knew" Jeremiah, I doubt He was talking about knowing that he'd have brown hair and green eyes, or that he'd be 5'10" tall. No. God was talking about knowing him inside and out, his talents, his gifts, his abilities, AND his personality.

And you know what? God is the one who put it all together. The fire. The water. That was His doing... for His purpose... His plan. There are no accidents. God is a careful and masterful creator. Like the consumate chemist He is, He adds a drop of this, a pinch of that to make each of us exactly who He desires us to be. He knows the qualities we will need in this life to do the job He has prepared for us to do before He even formed us in the womb. His creation did not catch Him off-guard, or surprise Him in the least. He fashioned us each to His own specifications, to His own desire... and He declared it "good."

I say this as an encouragement to all the parents out there. Parenting is a tough gig. It really is, especially for those parents who care to train up their children in the way they should go. I would never make light of just how difficult, yet, incredibly important, this calling is. God puts the raw materials together, He places these children in our hands to mold, curb, shape, encourage... but Satan never leaves well-enough alone. He's always messing, meddling, thwarting our best efforts.

We can become disheartend and discouraged with the challenges, but dear parents, God knows what He is doing. The children that are like fire will be the leaders of tomorrow, those willing to take great risks, to step out solidly into the unknown, to be brave and sturdy in the face of adversity. We need people like that. God knows. That's why He created their personalities the way he did. Our job as parents is to steer, to knock off the rough edges, to harness that potential, and in many ways to keep it balanced and in check.

Those children who are like water? They will be the peacemakers, the counselors, the quiet confidence, the rational thought... the calm in the midst of the storm. We need people like that too. God knows. We don't get a pass on parenting this kind of personality either, for though these children may be the more quiet, compliant ones, their personalities must also be lovingly cultivated to reach full potential. We must guide them too, perhaps even encourage them to step outside their comfort zones a bit.

We temper the one, we encourage the other. It's definitely not a one-size-fits-all situation. That's part of what makes parenting so hard.

Yet...

Yet, the really cool thing, and the thing I might add has always blown my mind, is that God knows us too! I mean, He "knows" us enough to pair the personalities of our children with those of our own. He didn't just randomly assign children to parents, He orchestrated it from before WE were born. Mind-blowing, like I said. God knows that we are who our kids need in order for them to become who HE desires them to be.

And, to take cool to the next level, He does so for our benefit as much as for our children's.

I believe that whole-heartedly. I had all these ideas and plans for how I was going to raise my children. I had thought about it, played it over and over in my head... the things I would do and not do. God took a look at my playbook and chuckled. Little did I know that I would be cultivated, steered, and shaped right alongside them. That too, was part of my good, good, Father's master plan.

At one and the same time, we as parents, are both teacher and pupil. As we shape and mold, so, shaped and molded are we.

Yes, parenting has its challenges, but we are not in it alone. God is right there. We will fall. We will even fail at times, but when we do, He is right there to scoop us up, wipe our bloodied nose, tend our scraped knees, and give us the pep talk we need to get back in there and keep going. I can't begin to tell you how many times I, pesonally, have had to have Him come in and clean up another of my messes, but He has always done so willingly and so, so lovingly, because He is invested in this partnership... mine and His, His and my children's, and mine and my children's. His grip is steady and strong... and He steers brilliantly, even when I don't.

So take heart, dear moms and dads. God loves you. He loves your kids. You are ALL His children, and He is the perfect Father. His plan is good and wise, and He will help you see it to completion. Rejoice in the beauty of God's design for HIS beloved kiddos... of whom you are one, and steer on. Your hand is on the wheel, but His hand is on yours.