Raising and Being Raised

The other night, there was no room for me in my bed. I had just arrived home from church and found Kristen on my side with a clinging 2 year old. Sickness is hard. We don't like to see our kids uncomfortable. Parenting is hard. I went across the hall and climbed into bed beside our four year old and her blankey, stuffed cat, and collection of toilet paper for her runny nose. I listened to the restless sounds through the wall in the nursery of two babies struggling with their stuffiness and congestion. The sounds of discomfort from the 2 year old in our bed dealing with a viral rash that had left her sleepless for the better part of 2 nights. Most of my prayers are silent. I have always enjoyed lying down and just unpacking my mind before i go to sleep. What i'm thankful for, what Im concerned about, my family, my friends. That night, I was silently praying for healing, recovery, and rest for my children. I was wrestling with my bend toward selfishness, I wanted rest, I wanted to get rest in MY bed, my head on MY pillow, and under MY familiar covers, next to MY wife.

Raising kids is funny when you think about it. The term suggests that we have it figured out, that its our turn to turn out quality people into the world. Parenting in a lot of ways is the process of being raised. We learn so much everyday about how to love, about ourselves, about God. Parenting causes us to put others before ourselves. Its not easy and I'm bad at it but, I think I'm being raised to do it.

Last night there was resistance to ointment that would relieve some pain and discomfort, there was resistance to an oatmeal bath, there was resistance to oral medication. It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't easy. When the acceptance came, there were smiles, there was swimming and splashing in the tub, there was rest. Even as parents, we sometimes resist the things we know we should be doing- the things that are good for us, that help us find joy, relief, and rest.

We're raising kids but we're also in the process of being raised ourselves.