Wanting All the Answers

Today was the second day of torture - for the both of us. Yes, folks... school's back in session down here in the South and where there's school, there's homework. I remember back in my teaching days I did give some, but barely... because I completely understood who really did the homework - the parents! Well, not in this household. I know as a parents we must choose our battles and to me, this one is worth it - or so I thought.

So, it all started great today. Question 1 on his ditto - "What is your favorite subject?" Caleb asks, "Mommy, how do you spell Science?" Well, this is where the torture... I mean fun begins. My response, "Caleb, SSSSScience - what is that first sound?" And it was all down hill from there. Long story short and an hour and half later, we finished the homework. Throughout this hour and a half Caleb kept saying, "Mommy if you loved me you would just give me the answer," and I would keep responding, "Buddy, it's because I love you that I'm not just giving you the answer, but I'm here to help you every step of the way."

Dinner tonight was a special treat. My dear Aunt Linda is visiting us down here in SC, so we went to one of my favorite restaurants, Queen Anne's Revenge. Between, my aunt, that restaurant, and my Daddy treating it was great! During dinner our homework adventure came up and my parents tried to explain to Caleb that it would have been easier for me to just tell him the answers, but I didn't because I love him.

Well, this evening I had the opportunity to share this story with someone I love so dearly and felt prompted to share it with all my blogging friends as well. Life is not always easy - and God does not promise for it to be easy - but he does promise to be with us every step of the way.

Deut 31:6 - "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

As I shared with Caleb how I was allowing him to struggle because it was what was best for him I can't help but relate that back to our loving Heavenly Father sharing that with us. He doesn't want us to struggle, but He allows it because it is what is best for us. Would it really be love to just give Caleb all the answers and be done with homework in 10 minutes? Or is it better I work with him every step of the way teaching him to do it on his own? God could zap all our trials away - and sometimes He does - but only if it is best for us. If he allows us to go through something, there is a purpose there and we need to trust him. Caleb's 7 year old mind could not grasp that I was doing what was best and that he could trust me, just as our minds cannot grasp the mind of GOD - we just need to trust that He is doing what is BEST for us. It was so easy for my parents to see this as it sometimes is for outsiders in life, but when you are in the midst of the storm, it's not so easy to see... or to trust. That's where FAITH come in. We cannot always get all of our "why's" answered. We just need to have faith in the God of this universe, who knit us together, knows our comings and our goings, and has a plan for our lives. We may not have all the answers handed to us (especially the "why's"), but we can trust that He IS there with us every step of the way!

Trust Him!