"I HATE TO TELL YOU THIS..."

“Tell me what?” “What could that statement possibly entail?” “Did a household item get broken?” “Did the toilet overflow?” “Did one of our children color on the wall?”

What is the “this“ in “I hate to tell you this”?

The subject line in this blog is the same subject line that my husband used when he sent me a recent email. My mind raced through scenarios, and my heart sank as I contemplated what the “THIS” could possibly be! My fingers could not click on the email fast enough. My eyes scanned the contents for the answer. Could it be something terrible? Could it be something life-changing? And as my brain formulated the words contained within that email, I realized the “THIS” was something that all parents probably face at one time or another…the dreaded SCISSORS! Yes, our wonderfully adorable, curly-haired four-year old was very proud of his accomplishment. He had, in a matter of seconds, managed to cut off his locks of curls!

My first response was “NO…surely it couldn’t be that bad?? Surely it was somewhat salvageable?” I rapidly typed back a response…”HOW SHORT?”. It seemed like hours before the response came back to me…”VERY SHORT!”. And then, the words a mother never wants to hear…”I had to use the clippers.” Oh the overwhelming emotion…fighting back the tears…emptiness in my stomach…”Clippers on my adorable, curly-haired boy?” And in the silence of sporadic thoughts…REALITY stepped forth…”IT IS ONLY HAIR!!!” Foolishness that caused me to chuckle ever so silently. Was I really having this reaction to something so simple? With all of the atrocities in the world, was this really worth the expense of such emotion?

An experience that most parents are probably familiar with, but a lesson that all of us may need to learn. As I pondered over the last thought in my 3-minute emotional roller coaster, I was intrigued by how many situations or circumstances that many of us experience on a daily basis; many of which are far more serious than a child “exercising his independence” with a little pair of scissors. How often do we find ourselves on that same roller coaster of emotion and rampant thought process? Are we only “concerned”, or do we cross the line into “worry”? Do we attempt to rationalize our “worry” because “who wouldn’t be worried in this situation or circumstance?” Call it what you would like, but the Bible is clear that WORRY is sin. Yes, you heard me correctly…SIN…that action that separates of us from our loving Lord. Yet, will we seem cold or callused if we fail to “worry”? What will others think of us if we do not “appear worried”? How often do we allow society to control our responses to situations instead of the Lord? HE states “Do not worry”…and to attempt to rationalize with the OMNISCIENT, OMNIPOTENT Lord, who is never surprised by what happens in our lives, seems a little foolish to say the least!

Therefore, may I leave you with this…

“I will never leave you nor forsake you”
Love,
THE LORD

There is no greater peace in any circumstance than knowing that the ONE who knows all, created all, and sustains all is right beside you!