Encouragement for the Downcast Parent

This has been a long week for me.  The kids were home from school all week due to a holiday in Turkey.  It was also my birthday, which sent them into hyperactive mode for some reason.  We also started the transition of Abby and Elijah sharing a room.  This has meant that they are up earlier in the morning due to one waking the other up.  Being up earlier means less sleep, which means crankier kids.  And yesterday and today Joe was away in Istanbul.  And finally this morning I woke up with a sore throat.

After hearing Abby and Elijah yell at one another for the 50th time today, I was literally ready to throw in the towel.  Not sure what that would mean exactly, but I was tired.  I was trying to battle all day for true thoughts and thankfulness, but it just seemed like my heart was dull.  I kept praying over an dover again, “Please, Lord give me perspective.  Drag me out of this funk.”

Then I read this article on the eschatology of parenting.  It was so encouraging to know that even in the littlest things I can be making an impact on my kids’ lives, even if it feels like I have done nothing in a day.  The last paragraph was the one that finally lightened my load:

Those of you who are parents probably grow weary and discouraged sometimes. I know I do. It seems as though you’re not “getting through” sometimes, that your children aren’t responding the way you thought they would. Keep hugging. Keep kissing. Keep chastising. Keep teaching. This is a long-term project. You’ve got a long-term project in front of you. And there’s a lot at stake.

Even when I feel like my week has been a wash and my kids are worse than when we started, God is faithful and is doing a good work in them because of me and in spite of me, at the same time.  And the work is a journey.