In all my years of parenting, you know something that still makes me tilt my head to the side, scrunch my eyebrows together in wonder and just nod? How a kid who gets raving comments on his/her report card can ALSO be the kid who rages in the pantry over my “terrible” grocery choices. Or how the same kid who skips off the school bus can transform into a punk the moment they step foot IN the house.
“You should feel good about it. It actually means they trust mommy that much that no matter what you’ll still love them.” How many times did I hear that? Did it comfort me? Imagine me now and you’ll know the answer- chin to my chest, eyebrows raised and a smirk across my face.
They trust me enough to dissolve into grumpy messes? Yes, yes they do. And yes, I still love them (sometimes I may hide but I still love them).
What in the world does this have to do with Advent?
HOPE.
The “Thrill of Hope“- we all long for it a little extra right now. If you were to look up the definition, you would see Hope is not just an expectation but also “a feeling of trust.”
2016…I’ll never forget Dr. Collins telling me and Joseph to head straight to the ER so Joseph could have a spinal tap. We nodded, gathered our things and left her office in silence. But just as we got to the car, we raged. Literally. We kicked the tires, screamed, cried and then hugged. Joseph looked up and yelled, “God do you even see me? I’m sick and I’m scared. Do you even know?” Watching my little boy trust God enough to get angry and ask questions felt like Hope in action – full, innocent and sincere trust.
Kids teach us an important lesson in what trust looks like, don’t they? Open handed, open hearted, guard down trust. And sometimes it gets messy. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not stop them because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” – Matthew 19:14
Advent is a season of HOPE when you trust God does hear you, God does love you. His love is so big He can handle your good, your bad and your ugly. If God feels too distant for you, look to Jesus and look to the children.
So, listen up punk, we’re on the last few steps of our journey through Advent together.
For Day 23, I’m hoping you to step into your mess, open your hands and your heart and trust God, wait for Him and let Hope thrill your weary soul.
