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Is it your child’s first day on Earth?  No, I’m not talking about that special, exciting moment when you first lay eyes on your new baby.  I’m talking about that wondrous mystery that happens every night while your child sleeps.  The inexplicable wiping of the hard drive of their minds that causes them to wake up in the morning completely forgetting any previous skills they have learned.  Skills such as how to get dressed and how to make, eat, and clean up breakfast.  Schoolwork is baffling, spelling and multiplication tables are gone overnight!

As a new parent, I thought that my babies would learn skills one at a time, gradually adding to them as they grew.  I did not realize that it is more of a one step forward and ten steps back, (or sideways) type of growth.  I had also thought that as my children got older they would be able to retain information and life skills for longer periods of time.  Nope.  An older child of mine has had the same chore for six and a half YEARS simply because he cannot do the job without being reminded.

Recently I have been reading the Old Testament in the Bible.  I noticed that God calls the Israelites “children”.  I also noticed that like my own children, the Israelites seemed to forget things overnight too.  Things like obeying God’s laws and letting God lead them.  They also forgot God’s promises that He would provide for them, fight for them, and that He loved them very much.

This is where my own trouble with amnesia comes in.  I too can forget overnight God’s provision of the day before.  His manna that He provided or a battle He won while all I had to do was be still.  I also forget how much He loves me and how much grace He has for me.  Much more than I have for my children when they have again forgotten how to do a simple chore.  And the things God asks of us are simple: believe I love you, let me take care of you, rest in me.

Again, like my children and the Israelites, I take one step of faith forward and ten steps back.  And God has grace.

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live.  Teach them to your children and to their children after them.  Deuteronomy 4:9

“Are there sharks in that water?”  Ever since I became a mother and my first child could speak, this is a question I get EVERY time a little one spies a body of water of any size.  We are blessed to live near many lakes so they get this opportunity frequently.  I used to be able to say with assurance that no, there are no sharks in the water.  But, thank you Discovery Channel, now my older ones will pipe up that bull sharks can live in fresh water for a little while.

It reminds me of the lake of my family.  Yes, there are sharks there.  A cranky teenager, a distraught toddler, or a tired mommy comes swimming into the peaceful waters and suddenly there is thrashing, screaming, and blood in the water.  It is startling how fast it can happen.

Now I could do everything in my power to prevent these attacks.  I could watch for them, try to head them off.  In fact I’ve been there, done that.  What I discovered though is that I am no shark whisperer and it’s exhausting.

However, I have found when I acknowledge how powerless I feel, and I give up control to God, then He comes in with His powerful peace, and suddenly calm returns.

Then by His grace, it is safe to go back in the water.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.  Matthew 14:29-31

Do you live with a news reporter?  Every morning I am greeted with a weather report, “Mommy it’s raining!”  We have a giant picture window in the living room so I have already easily seen this fact.  “Mommy, sister is making breakfast!”  Again, I can see sister mixing up batter.  “Mommy, brother already left for work and he’ll be home for dinner!”  Yup, knew that one too.

Something happens as they get older however, I find out information, usually important information, hours late.  Nine o’clock at night my oldest remembers, “Oh yeah, Mom, Mrs. Smith called this morning.  She said it’s important and to call her as soon as you can.”  Really.  “When did she call?”  “Oh, maybe around ten?”  Must have been when I had the audacity to run to the bathroom for two minutes.  I probably couldn’t hear the phone through the little ones knocking on the door and asking what I was doing and when would I be out!

Like my little one stating the obvious news in his life, sometimes I need to be reminded of the obvious in my life.  God is good, all the time.  I am blessed with great kids.  Hey, I have a roof over my head!  It seems as though it is when things appear the most difficult that I have the hardest time seeing these things.  I don’t want to forget until nine o’clock at night that yes, God was with me all day, just waiting for me to call.

Psalm 16:6  “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”