By Sandra Bost
It’s the first week of school. Cue the sweet social media posts with cuties in brand new shoes, sparkling smiles, and stain-free shirts. Excited teachers sharing video tours of pristine classrooms, and a few pictures with students sprinkled in from the “Meet the Teacher” festivities. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The excitement and tangible joy is second only to the Christmas season.
Yet, beneath the surface of the glitter and glee, reality sets in. Teachers are still reeling over the fact that summer was way too short, and their list of “To Dos” is still “To Be Done.” But the love of teaching and the desire to make a difference in another set of students’ lives will pull them out of summer serenity and rally them to soar spectacularly.
While teachers are gearing up, parents are navigating their own emotional terrain. Most of them mentally checked out of summer break as soon as the first fireworks lit up the sky the week before Independence Day. The unending messes, full cart of groceries that didn’t even make it to the snack cabinet, and the sibling rivals had even the best of them begging for mercy. They love their kiddos, but they crave the structured days of school.
Then there’s the other group. The ones holding on a little tighter. These mommas and daddies can’t believe it’s over. Worries about bullies, state testing and news headlines have them looking for work-from-home jobs. They thrive in the slow mornings and carefree days, sweetened by random hugs and close proximity to their precious ones.
It’s the second group of parents that stirred my heart this week. My middle granddaughter started kindergarten Thursday, so I’ve had a front row seat to the highs and lows of emotions as my daughter and son-in-law have grappled over the choice of homeschool or public school. Meanwhile, at this one’s 5th birthday party, I listened to sweet mommas share about their own season of scary choices: one in the newborn stage, smack dab in the middle of the hormonal heart storm and just plain hard, and one with a toddler, wondering if she should please people or parent from a place of empowerment. So many questions. Sincere and very real concerns, borne from hearts longing to make good and wise decisions — ones that honor God and grow confident children who love Jesus with all their hearts, souls, minds and strength.
These heartfelt conversations reminded me of a story shared by a friend. Her daughter was taking care of our dog a while ago, and because it had gotten dark, my friend came, too. We live in a wooded area, away from streetlights, so it was pitch black. I had forgotten to tell her about the neighbor’s dogs — a black and a white Great Pyrenees. She and her daughters drove up and sat frozen in their cars, pinned in by the ferocious barks of the friendly furballs for a few minutes before finding courage to escape. Laughing, she told me how her mind imagined creatures lurking in the woods as they walked. “I only had my cell phone,” she said, “and it made a lousy flashlight.” She could only see one tiny step in front of her feet at a time.
That image brought Psalm 119:105 to mind, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path” (ESV). In thinking about daunting decisions, fear creeps in like darkness — clouding our judgement and making even familiar paths feel uncertain. Like forest phantoms, our minds can be flooded with haunting doubts, imagining every frightening scenario. It’s paralyzing.
In parenting, this fear is often magnified. Out of love for our kids, we want so much to make perfect decisions. We are terrified that we will make a choice that will ruin their lives or cause lasting harm. But the truth is, a perfect parent doesn’t exist, just as there isn’t a universal guidebook for every child and every situation. What we do have is a perfect guide and a dimly lit path. It requires close communication (through prayer and Bible reading) and total dependence on His light, which reveals the way forward, often one step at a time.
So, my advice to my girl and her sweet friends this past weekend is also my encouragement for us. May we seek Jesus in every step and follow His leading. He will guide with peace that aligns with the truth of His word. The promise is that if we seek the Lord, we will find Him. He is not trying to trick us. So, take heart. When you walk life’s path with His Word lighting your way, you can trust that even the smallest step or decision is guided by a faithful God who delights in being found.
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