Romans 1:12 ‘When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.’
Kia Ora Bay Kids Whanau,
A LITTLE BIT OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Anyone?
What I thought I would say as a parent: “You are going to change the world.”
What I say as a parent: “Stop licking the window.”
I'm getting dangerously nostalgic at this point in my parenting journey. Those rose-coloured glasses are firmly on as I reflect and scroll through photos and memories. And yet parenting is still the gift that keeps on giving - it's challenging, baffling, tiring, enlarging, painfully personal, changeable, joyful and surprising.
It turns out that we are always learners. Forever learning. Despite our knowledge, our experiences, our age, our successes, our mistakes, and our hard-fought wisdom. And I am learning all the ways that I haven't got it quite right, all the ways I would have loved the opportunity of a parenting moment redo, and all the ways I was a little bit out of my depth.
Parenting is a humbling journey. And I don't particularly like to be humbled. It's an uncomfortable word. I would prefer to be sorted, under control, calm, serene, and mostly right. So maybe it's of no surprise that the Bible is completely unafraid of humility.
Jesus personifies it. He is our humble King. He offers us the gentleness and the rest of his humility. There's expansive love and safety in his humility. There's room for light-ness and ease in his humility. All are welcome. There’s no pre-requisite.
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’ Matthew 11:29-30
I'm reassured that this is His promise to us. In parenting we can come to Him, and we can be carried. We can lean into Him. And how He longs for us to know His rest. I hope that thought, that image is a tiny bit encouraging - even amidst the everyday, the chaos. Don't strive to get it right, just lean on Him.
The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.
Psalm 25:8-9
How much do I need His leading! And still; How much do I go astray? Aaargh! This Psalm gently reminds me again of a gracious God, re-setting me, little nudges either side, little prompts and encouragements back on track when I've wobbled, said the wrong thing, got lost to overthinking, spoken unkindly, been impatient, jumped to wrong conclusions. Oh the revealing nature of parenting.
And thanks Paul for this timely zinger. Here I am. Turning up again for parenting. Let me re-set my heart and my attitude once again. Let me wrestle with the impossibilities of patience and the need for making allowance. Let me remember the power of being loved.
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Ephesians 4:2
Thank you, Bay Kids parents and whanau, for all the beautiful unseen ways that you seek to encourage and inspire your children in their discipleship journey. Thanks for sharing the teeny tiny wins, the delightful moments, the frustrations, and the struggles. It’s a privilege to be in this with you. Please know you’re not alone.
Thank you for being part of this amazing community.
Arohanui
Charlotte Buxton
Associate Pastor
Bay Vineyard Church
charlotte@bayvineyardchurch.org