The Process of Parenting: Don’t Forget to Pause

I’m wiped out tonight as I write this post.  Ever have one of those weeks (or months or years) where you are just spent, but you know you have so much more to do in the coming days?  Yeah – that’s where I am.  It’s a good weary, though.  I was blessed to attend the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast early this morning, and I have been busy with positive things, with more on the way.  So I’m not complaining.  Just sharing.  Because it hit me…

Throughout this ongoing journey of the process of parenting (while all the other aspects of our lives continue to roll on at the same time), we all hit points of tiredness, weariness, frustration, discouragement, or even plain old exhaustion.  And no matter how important our activities of work or marriage or parenting or church or whatever else…sometimes we just need to pause.  We need to give ourselves a chance to rest, slow our breathing, pray, meditate, or just be still.  And while this may sound obvious, sometimes we forget.  Don’t we?  Sometimes when we finally “hit a stopping point,” we opt for doing other activities or pastimes that seem restful or refreshing, but are actually about as mentally healthy as making a meal out of a bag of M&Ms.  An enjoyable treat – but not what we really need.  Do I really need to pull out my iPhone every time I have a few free moments?  We both know the answer to that question.  Sometimes the most significant thing we can do to offer our very best parenting power to our kids (or really any other endeavor) is to pause for restoration and a holy power charge from the One who has all power.

And that’s enough for now.  I’m going to pause briefly tonight before plunging back in tomorrow and resuming this blog series next week with the next “phase” of the process of parenting: Releasing.

Shalom