It’s Okay: When You Need Some Understanding

I remember when Adelade was a curly-haired three year old, a new big sister, a little bundle of personality bouncing around at all times.  I had just made the jump from one child to two, and I was tired.  I was still in the realm of sitting on the couch for hour-long stretches, nursing the laziest little eater that ever existed, and so I went through every day like a milk-laden zombie.

I had the bright idea during this walking dead state to go ahead and potty train my barely three year old.  Thankfully, she was so easy to train and had it down in no time.  She was still wearing Pull-ups at night, but was doing great all day in her new princess panties that she was so proud of.  One morning I got her ready for church and took her to Sunday school.  She was such a pretty little freckle-faced doll, and she looked absolutely picture perfect when she walked in there.  I was completely impressed with my super mom skills.  Look at me! I thought.  Got TWO humans AND MYSELF ready for church!  Oh yeah! Mom of the Year, here I come!

After the church service we headed home and I immediately took Adelade to the potty before we ate lunch.  And, what should I find under her perfectly pressed little skirt but princess panties. . . and a Pull-up.  In my bleary condition that morning, I had put Adelade’s panties on over her nighttime Pull-up, and I had sent her to Sunday school that way.  Her teachers had to have laughed when they saw what I had done.  I’m sure they wondered what kind of potty training method involved panties over diapers.

I shook my ultra sleepy head and rested it in my hands.  Smiling, I told Adelade that I couldn’t believe I had done that.  She grinned in her reassuring way, patted me sympathetically, and said, It’s okay, Mommy.  It’s hard sometimes.

Believe it or not, I often think about that simple phrase when I’m not doing quite as well as I had hoped to.  When I fall short of Mom of the Year, by a whole, whole lot.  When my brain quits working.  When I say what I shouldn’t.  When I end my day with regret sitting like a lump in the pit of my stomach.

It really is okay.  It is really hard sometimes.  And, not every day is going to be our best day.

Mercifully, we have a God who understands our struggles.  Who sympathizes.  And who would very likely say to us at the end of a not so good day,  It’s okay.  It’s hard sometimes.  Each day dawns fresh and sparkly, and His mercies are new every single morning.

Sometimes I get caught up in thinking of God as being angry at me, disgusted with me, but it’s good to remember that the God of the Universe, our Father,  is certainly at least as understanding as a potty training three year old.  In fact, His love knows no bounds, His patience is unmatched, and His goodness is everlasting.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God, not even our bad days.

It’s okay, friends.  It’s hard sometimes.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present
nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39