Worrying

My son is a good student but he gets anxious. He works hard and more often than not gets his work done ahead of schedule. Wanting to do well is his over riding goal. But there comes a point sometimes when worry over takes him. He imagines disaster. Yesterday was such a day. Two big projects were due. He left for school with a worried expression even though he knew he was well prepared.

“How was your day?” took on a whole new dimension when he got home. I asked the minute I saw him. (I worry too. Not about his grades, but about his peace of mind.) “It went great!” I actually refrained from saying I told you so, instead I commented on how to look at it and learn to see how useless the worrying had been. He conceded the worry had been over the top and not necessary. It was a proud parenting moment that is till I let things sink in.

God’s tapping my on the shoulder. So did you hear what you just said? Were you listening to those great words of peace? Huh? I’m just teaching Zach how to cope, how to see the reality of things. I’m giving him skills to use when worry overwhelms him at school. You can see it coming can’t you? God smiling and asking me: So you’ve been worrying off the charts these days and I don’t see you doing any of the good things you told your son. You are well prepared for the task at hand and you still worry. You haven’t prayed about your worries so I can take them away. You are inventing disasters in your mind. Ouch! You are right. I am!

There I stood shown the errors of my ways and smarting a little from the wrap on my knuckles. Ouch! Caught! Easy to see inside my son’s head and yet miss what goes on in my own? But I’ve been in his shoes before, I know how to walk down the path of schoolwork. God’s tapping again. Hey Child, I’ve been down the road you are traveling and I know what’s going on inside your head let me give you the benefit of my wisdom. I will confess, I have not turned all my worry over to God. But I have loosened my grip and given him some of it. I am working on the rest. I’m going to do my homework though and see if I can get better. Homework, by the way, is prayer, remembering to take my worry to God.

Posted 2/2/2009 @ 4:58 PM | Weekly Thoughts