II Timothy Chapter 4

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in s season and out of 
season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.” II Timothy 4: 1-2 NIV

Prayer Over Our Children

​With patience and careful instruction, help my child preach, rebuke, correct, and encourage others in Your Word. Keep her faithful to You, desiring sound doctrine and never turning away from Your Truth. Help her faithfully evangelize and fulfill the work of her ministry while staying alert and enduring persecution. May she fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith so that Christ will award her the crown of righteousness in that day of glory. ...

I pray, oh Lord, that You will grant my child friends who remain faithful and supportive even when faced with persecution and difficulty. Stand by her side, oh God, and strengthen her. Deliver her from the lion’s mouth and rescue her from all evil to bring her to safety in Your heavenly kingdom.

A Life in the Typical Day of a Preschooler

​“Mommy,” implored Sweet one, “may I have one ponytail instead of 2 pigtails?” We were in the car on our way to morning preschool. Tears brimmed in her eyes, threatening to fall. Her long, brown hair peeked behind her ears in adorable Pippi Longstocking style. 
     
“Not today, Sweet pea,” I answered with irritation. After being asked the 15th time in 10 minutes, my patience was wearing thin. The lack of time, awkwardness of maneuvering a new hairstyle while strapped in a car seat were my initial reasons for saying no. But, now the almighty principal of it all firmed my resolve. I was flabbergasted that of all things, pigtails were the cause to the rain cloud dampening my daughter’s sunny disposition. 
     
“Please, Mommy, please!” begged Sweet pea, wiping tears off her cheeks. Then we pulled up into the drop-off lane at her school and the back-car door opened. 
     
“Mommy!” wailed Sweet girl, bursting into a fresh bout of tears, “may I please have only 1 ponytail?” The kind preschool worker who patiently waited for the hand-off, stood as dumbfounded as me. More tears, pitiful entreaties, and the wiping of eyes continued even as our car pulled away. 
     
Weighed down and puzzled by Sweet pea’s passionate repulsion to pigtails, I worried if my stand would traumatize my little girl’s day at school and demonize her insistent mother. But, thankfully, when we picked up Sweet one, her cheery smile had resurfaced and surprisingly, her pigtails were still intact. 

“She was fine as soon as you all drove away,” informed the preschool staff member, “she was just fine!” You can imagine the big sigh of relief I breathed. To know that I was not the Cruella Deville of pigtails lifted a weight off my shoulders.
     
”But, Sweet pea,” went on the worker, snapping the car seat straps into place, “tell your mom about what happened at recess!”

With great excitement, Sweet one’s eyes widened as she announced, “There was a snake!”

All I will share is that a National Geographic-worthy moment transpired right there in the school’s playground that will be dubbed, The Hungry Snake and the Great Toad Escape. Vivid mental pictures of a snake with prey halfway in mouth and wiggling bottom half hanging out, haunted my brain throughout the day. If wildlife pictures popping into my mind’s eye were not enough, more energy and time was exerted in convincing Sweet one that her boo-boo was not the end of the world while my husband hunted down the missing band-aides.
     
”Are you sure we bought band-aides?” questioned my frustrated husband for the umpteenth time as he tore apart the house in search for that one piece of cloth which would bring comfort, security, and a sense of safety to my little girl. 
     
“Yes, dear.” I patiently held my mounting annoyance in check. “Don’t you remember?” I said with sugary sweetness. When the ever-elusive box of band aides surfaced, I am thankful to report the drama of the day began to wind down and dissipate. 
     
A tasty grilled meal awaited our starving taste buds and the beautiful, breezy air of evening blew over our weary minds and bodies. S'mores on the grill, and just breathing, being, and taking in the glorious cool air and warm sunshine settled deep within our souls. Laughter and giggles returned as we took our fill of God’s glorious creation and reluctantly began transitioning to bedtime. Yet, one more surprise greeted us. 
     
“What is this?” came my husband’s sharp intake of breath, “Sweet pea – come here.” Holding a small, white piece of paper that had been sent home with Sweet one from school, my husband’s hand trembled. 

“What is it?” I asked in alarm. “What is it?” I repeated as Sweet pea and I hurried over to him. 
     
“Do you know what this is?” asked my husband to my little girl. Sweet pea smiled shyly at her father. Her eyes widened and a pink flush rose to her cheeks. 
     
“4,325,” she answered, peeking at the thin piece of paper.

We were floored! Come to find out that Sweet pea had started counting and adding numbers at school! Dazed, my husband and I slumped against the wall and slowly slid on to the carpet. 
     
“Oh my!” was all we could manage while Sweet pea beamed in pride. Thoughts whirled in both our minds, as we wondered what this bit of news would entail for the future. Eventually, the bedtime routine commenced, and a giggling little girl bounced into bed. As Sweet one enthusiastically jumped and twirled on her mattress, not one thing before me indicated sleepiness or readiness for bed. 
     
But as Sweet pea chattered nonstop while we tucked her in, I began our bedtime ritual of singing songs which contain scripture, to my little girl. Sometimes songs helped calm and soothe Sweet one, particularly before bedtime. But, it is the guarding of thoughts before sleep and the shared time of sweet singing that I cherish the most in this tender moment. Tonight’s songs, however, unfolded to an entirely new tune, as my silly husband decided to join in. His squeaky falsetto, echoing the words and phrases I sang, widened Sweet pea’s smile and cramped our bellies with laughter. 
     
“Is that Daisy Duck singing?” teased Sweet one, with a sparkle in her eyes as she lay snuggled beneath her bed sheets. I laughed and bent to place a kiss on her soft, young cheek and received a butterfly kiss in return, I backed out her bedroom and gently closed the door.
     
What an exhausting day, filled with unexpected emotions, twists, and turns. As I flopped on the bed beside the boy soprano, I closed my eyes and let the day settle around me in my thoughts. From pigtail drama and unexpected waterworks to survival of the fittest with animal wildlife and what I fondly call the Great Toad Escape to mathematical mastery and silly singing, I ended the day mentally weary. Too much drama, too much Animal Kingdom, too many times insisting that, “yes, we do have Band-Aids … somewhere,” and too shocked to realize your preschooler is computing math. 
     
What a weird, atypical day, my brain sputtered, I’ve been all over the map with emotions. 
     
But, wait a moment, let’s think about this. Isn’t it normal to be pulled in 1,000 different directions at the same time as a mom? Don’t we, as parents, need to put out the unexpected fires that somehow keep popping up all over the place? Is chaos and scattered, vying needs a way of life for us parents? 
     
I would like to say no, but in my brief time of parenthood, experience tells me “yes.” 
     
​Yet, even as I reflect upon the day or my memories of previous times, the only way to disperse the chaos, to bring peace to the restless, hand joy that is pure and lasting, are the times when we encircle our hearts with the love of family and surround this circle with a ring of endless love of the Heavenly father. When His creation sings to us their praises to the Most High King and surrounds us with the reminder of His majesty, how can our hearts not help but yearn heavenward? So, in the midst of the typical day of a preschooler, or any child for that matter, when chaos and unexpected circumstances fill our hours, turn towards the only One who can calm the rushing winds and tame the roaring seas. For He alone can bring you peace and rest.

A Parent's Prayer

Oh God, when everything around me is falling apart and demanding my attention, sustain me and give me peace. Help me, oh God, seek refuge in You from the dawn of day to the setting of the sun. Clear my mind, oh God, and free me from all distractions so that I may hear Your still, soft voice. Make Your priorities my own this day.