I am not, by nature, a worrier, but I currently have a knot in my stomach that is growing daily. My knot has a name: August 14th. Three weeks from today my little people will start a new school as individuals in their own separate classes. They will spend 30 hours a week apart from each other and away from me. Even as I type those words I feel my knot grow and tears well up.
My husband and I prayed so hard about our school decision. We are stepping out in faith in the direction we felt that God had clearly led us. But it is a new frontier. I am scared...and I am wistful (and occasionally feeling guilty as I plan my list of all the long awaited projects I am going to tackle with my time.)
I am, admittedly, exhausted. My patience is worn thin from a long, hot Summer of 14 hour napless days. The children are restless, eager to learn and grow and start exploring their own individuality a bit more. But, really, how can it be time for this change in our lives?
As I was pondering and praying about this today, I was reminded of the tried and true passage in Matthew 25:34:
"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (NAS)
And, as usual, I turned to the Message for a fresh perspective on familiar words. This spoke to me in a powerful way:
"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. " Matthew 25:34 (The Message)
I must stop borrowing worry from tomorrow, it is merely distracting me from what God is doing today.
20 comments:
i love philippians 4:6-7, and visit it regularly!
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (NLT)
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. (The Message)
I can only imagine how you are feeling. I only have one child and he's almost 2, but I know it will be a few short years until he starts school. I'll be a basket case :)
the verse you shared in the message version hit me like a ton of bricks. God knew I needed to hear that Word.:)
So true. Thanks for the reminder.
Jmom, how funny is this! We are on the same page! I wrote a post similar to this today!! My Joshua will begin kindergarten on Aug. 6th. And, I am literally losing sleep over it many nights!! I actually thought of you ~ wondering how you were handling it all since I knew that we were in a similar boat ~ with school starting soon. God is teaching me so much about learning to let go a little bit and trust him with my little ones. But, it is by far the most difficult thing that I have done yet! I'll be praying for you!
Though we aren't changing schools, D & W are going to be in separate classes for the first time this year. I am trying so hard not to worry about it, but sometimes it just washes over me and, just like you, I find myself fighting tears. Thanks for the very timely reminder to turn it all over to Him who loves them even more than I! I will say a special prayer for all of you on 8/14 (incidentally, my 15th wedding anniversary)!
Oh how I needed to hear those words today! Thank you so much for that sweet reminder at the end of a long, long day.
You know I've been reading your blog over the past several months, commenting here & there when I can. But you may not know that I am a preschool teacher. I want to put your mind to rest that you are doing the right thing...and the kids will be fine! :) Feel free to email if you want to. HUGS!
Thank you for sharing The Message translation for Matthew 25:34. I needed to hear that verse in those exact words. Thanks for always sharing your heart and the things God is showing you. God has used your blog to speak to me many times. I am so glad your husband mentioned your blog to my husband at the hospital one day. Erin at Embracing My Cup is also a dear friend and has mentioned your blog. Hope all goes well for your little ones when they start school!
Well put. It's easy for us mommies to get busy with planning ahead and begin to worry about the future. I could certainly stand to pause a bit more and focus on what God is doing today!
I encourage you to look at this as an exciting adventure for your children. Then maybe you can look forward to it with anticipation instead of dreading it and feeling worried.
Your childrens' world is about to be opened up to them in a whole new way. When you see them at the end of each day and see their faces glow and eyes twinkle (really!) as they talk about what they've learned; when you see their sense of accomplishment and victory as they SHOW you what they've learned; when you realize they've learned something they hadn't told you about (writing a certain letter, counting to a certain number) you will be able to bask in their joy and yours.
You are doing the right thing. They are going to absolutely love it. This phase of life is magical.
I needed to hear this today, but about a totally different issue. Thank you for the reminder. I can always count on you for the Message translation.
E
Thank you so much for reminding me not to "borrow" worry today. This is my last day of summer break and I start back to school getting ready for my first graders next week. Also the triplets start K in another week and I could just cry. Time sure goes by quickly. What a great reminder to me to live in the moment and enjoy the blessings of today for we do not know what tomorrow holds. Have a great day.
Mandy
GA
www.madelinegracefoundation.com
My girls will be in 7th and 4th grade this coming school year and that knot still shows up for me. The verse from Matthew is very comforting and I really like the way The Message translates it. Wow. I should put that on my bathroom mirror. My oldest daughter has Selective Mutism, so that's a big reason for my "knot", but each year has it's excitement and challenges.
Thank you for sharing that verse today. The Message version was something that I needed to hear at that exact moment, and have shared with others today. Thank you for letting God use you.
I know it was hard for that first day of Kindergarten. With my oldest, I was crying, with the youngest, we were both crying.
Hang in there, and trust in God.
thanks for reminding me not to worry. I am a worry wart.
my son will be starting middle school on August 26th.
3 local grade schools merge into 1 middle school. I am going to pray more for him, and have him pray too.
I needed to hear that part about not worrying. :)
My only child is leaving in 3 weeks to go to college nearly 2000 miles away from me. It is heartwrenching, indeed, to know how to let go and yet hang on at the same time. I have really tried not to worry about him and what gives me comfort is knowing that I have given him the tools he needs for whatever stage its been. In the end, that is really all was can do is to give them the proper tools. Your children will surprise you!
I enjoy reading your blog so much and it helps me to remember to focus on the Word and not the worry.
I found your blog a few weeks ago and wanted to tell you what a blessing it is/you are! Everything you write just points me to Jesus. I leave feeling encouraged, refreshed, and wanting to spend more time in the Word. God bless you and your precious family!
I remember waving good-bye at my daughter's kindergarten room...and I remember waving good-bye as she was driven away from her wedding reception in November. I promise there were only a few days in-between those two events! The Word has given you some great wisdom to hold onto. I'm a teacher of younger students and I'm here to tell you that there is a lot of love waiting for your children on the other side of the classroom door...and I have seen how helpful it is to put twins/triplets into their "own" classrooms. They flourish and grow in their own ways. I know it is hard now. Actually, "hard" barely describes it...but you are about to be so blessed by all the ways they will learn and grow. And I think you already know that, too. Blessings on you and your little ones. We look forward to reading all the ways God will continue to grown them in "wisdom and stature and favor with God and man." (Luke 2:52)
I feel for you (and with you). I work full-time and put our son in full-time day care (10 hours a day) when he was 7 weeks. Oh, the pit in my stomach when I drove away that first day was terrible. I still get a little weepy even now writing this. But he's 2 1/2 now and loves his "school" and mom and dad love it too, and he's a smart, social, and wonderful little boy. It will be hard, but I just know you'll be rejoicing in the expansion of their worlds. I hope it's a wonderful experience for all of you.
Post a Comment