Shopping Cart Skills

It is crazy and surreal to be a parent. You give birth to this tiny human being with a soul and a unique God given personality. You have no idea what your child is going to be like when the nurse puts her in your arms. This is the start to a long journey of firsts. The first smile and laugh, first food, first step, first tooth, first word. Many of these firsts are recorded in the baby book or photographed as “the first . . .” I never knew, when I first became a parent, how many countless things I take for granted. I just know how to do this or that. I don’t remember anyone teaching me. Some things are social or cultural norms, other skills are learned by trial and error, and others by specific training.

I had a “first moment” with my 9 year old the other day as we were shopping. He was trying to push the cart, but kept pushing it too fast and ran into me and his sisters. My first thought when he hit me was to take it away and take over. Then the thought came to me to patiently teach him to slow down and anticipate stops. This was a training opportunity for him and a parenting challenge for me.  So many times I want to take over because it is easier, faster, or better if I do it, however, Grace. Yes, a teachable moment for me and my son.

God gives us grace in our moments of weakness. We may fail, but God gives us opportunities to learn and continue to be used. He does not cast us away. He shows us we need Him and uses us through our weakness.

II Corinthians 12:9