Focal verse
“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19).
Reflection
The camper was mostly packed. Clothes had been washed. The reservations made. Our family’s yearly camping trip to the lake was scheduled for the next few days. Yet, Mother Nature had other plans for the week. The forecast had rain for the duration of our stay, as well as the potential for serious storms. We’ve weathered camping in the rain before, and while those trips bring their own memories and adventures, this time we were hesitant to commit.
After some tears and frustration, we decided to stay home.
Sometimes our plans don’t go as we hope, and we can either be sad and mad about what transpires, or we can see the gifts in front of us.
How many times in our parenting and in our faith lives do we plan for one thing and need to pivot to something else? Where can we find God’s presence even when we’re at our wit’s end? We plan to go away with a friend but then the baby is sick. We take an hour to cook a healthy meal but the main course burns, so you grab fast food instead. The class we hoped to take is full, so we sign up for our second choice.
Praying for peace in the moments when our plans are waylaid invites God into the day-to-day realities of our lives. God can handle the frustrations we feel. Our faith invites us to see what new possibilities stand before us.
When our family didn’t go camping, we may not have had hours swimming in a lake, but we did take a day trip to picnic and splash in a river. We listened to an audiobook, feasted on veggie chips and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and enjoyed each other’s company.
We didn’t sit around the campfire nightly listening to the chorus of insects, but we did invite a friend to join us for a driveway campfire and s’mores.
The kids didn’t get to sleep in their bunk beds and whisper to each other at night, but they did get more rest.
We didn’t eat outside under a canopy of trees, but we did make our favorite camping meals (crunch wraps and egg sandwiches) while sitting at the dining room table reading Bible stories.
This month when your plans go as you want them to, and especially when they don’t, take a moment to remember God’s presence. See what new beauty emerges before you.
Practices
- Read the new book We Are a Class by Rob Sanders (Beaming Books) as you head back to school.
- Practice deep breathing when you feel overwhelmed or are in the midst of changed plans. Repeat a verse of Scripture (for example, Philippians 4:13, Matthew 5:14 or Acts 27:22).
Prayer practice
September brings a lot of transitions. This is a great time to start a new prayer practice. Start small. At the beginning or end of the day bless your children. Make the sign of the cross on their foreheads and share a few words. Here are a few examples:
You are a loved child of God.
God is with you now and forever.
Wherever you go, God is with you.
I love you and God loves you.
