Sticky Mess

"If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth." --Ecclesiastes 11:3

Last week, the boys and I started a little project--making a fall tree--because in Florida it's hard to imagine in 80 degree weather that autumn has even begun. A few weeks ago I had pulled out a box of little pumpkins, a scarecrow and other orange and red things, but we miss the leaves turning. So, I thought it'd be fun to create a tree out of some construction paper and glue.

The boys were excited and as I explained to the boys how gravity pulls the leaves down and not up, we decided leaves shouldn't be pasted above the tree. And maybe to show that the leaves were falling to make a pile of them on the ground.

As we began, I reminded my youngest son that using too much glue was a waste and that he should only use a drop at a time. I also reminded myself that I was going to step back and allow them to be creative without jumping in to help. But as with any activity (that involves glue especially), it started out ok on their own, but by the end I had to jump in. There were little piles of glue that needed to be thinned out, the leaves that were falling fell in a straight line and the pile below the tree was hovering above the ground. It also seemed there were more leaves on the trunk of the tree than on any of the branches. It was all I could do not to try and "fix" everything that looked wrong. But I tried really hard and by the end, with glue filled fingers and success behind them, my two boys went to the bathroom to wash their hands as I started cleaning up another sticky mess.

On a much greater scale, I began to wonder how many times God has looked down on my life and it was everything He could do to let me make my own decisions...good or bad. How many times has He had the patience to let me make my own mistakes and learn from them in the long run? How many times has He had to take the mess I've made and help me clean it up? Wash it clean?

It takes a lot of patience to be a parent. It would be so easy to always say no to, "May I pour my own juice, Mom?" or "Let me put the toothpaste on." or "Can I stir it this time?" But we know that in the process they will learn. And through the mess, they will come through it and know something more than they did before.

Isn't there comfort in that? As parents? That God might be looking down on us knowing what is ahead of us and gladly allowing those teachable moments? It's comforting to me, b/c in our darkest moments we can rest assured that He is with us. Not against us. And that our tears are never in vain. He is orchestrating even the tiniest details that will draw us closer to Him.

Streams illustrates this so beautifully:

"Stand firmly in the place where your dear Lord has put you, and do your best there. God sends us trials or tests, and places life before us as a face-to-face opponent. It is through the pounding of a serious conflict that He expects us to grow strong. The tree planted where the fierce winds twist its branches and bend its trunk, often nearly to the point of breaking, is commonly more firmly rooted than a tree growing in a secluded valley where storms never bring any stress or strain."

As parents we could complete every project for our children with perfection and ease, but oh--the lessons that would be missed along the way.


Dear Heavenly Father,
Give us wisdom as parents to know when to let go and to allow our children to make messes. We praise you for allowing us the same grace. Send your sweet spirit into our lives today and whisper Your truths. Give us assurance that every trial is another opportunity to draw us closer to You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.