Expecting Lindsay

 

The above is a quote by the Prussian general Helmuth Von Moltke. To put it another way Mike Tyson once said “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” I know it’s hard to imagine these two figures mentioned in the same paragraph.  During my journey as a parent these two phrases have popped into my head repeatedly. I am not trying to equate parenting to warfare (though some parents of teenagers have told me they are one and the same). However just as soldiers pray for courage in the stress of battle, we as parents should pray for wisdom to deal with the stress of parenting.

 

One of my personality traits is acute fear of change and what could be more life changing than a baby? It was a delightful moment to hear that I was going to be a father. Then the terror set in. What if this happens, what if that happens and the next thing you know I am a stress bucket. To process stress I like to prepare and my wife is the same way. We bought diapers, lots of diapers, 1800 to be precise. We also bought wipes. We prepped meals. My wife was blessed to have three baby showers.  We hired a wonderful Doula. Lastly we purchased a home and all this was in preparation for our bundle of joy. Through it all my little buddy Worry was with me the whole time.

 

Nothing can prepare you to be a parent. I never anticipated that I would stare at an incubator for hours after she was born. I also never experienced the level of anxiety as my wife and I waited on pins and needles for her milk to come in because our baby was so tiny. Two wild emotional swings that occurred in the span of a day and it has been a wild ride ever since. Which i think a rollercoaster is an appropriate analogy. Why do so many people have no qualms in riding a rollercoaster? They feel secure in the safety harness.  As a parent my safety harness is prayer.

 

In the good moments and the bad my wife and I are always praying. The Lord always washes my fears away. So I close with this. In parenting you never totally figure it out and there will always be pitfalls. In those moments place it in God’s hands and let him show us the way. Trust in the Lord and read Isaiah 26:3. Lastly remember preparation is great but prayer is key.

 

Till the next time,