First Day of Pre-K!! God's Got It!

Seth was very adament that he was NOT going to school today.   He was pretty anxious last night at bed time about starting a new school year.  He began crying about how he missed many things...he missed Caleb being six and a half, he missed his lost uh-oh (aka pacifier from two years ago), he missed the tiny duck that he used to have when he was a baby, and the list went on.  I knew the trip down memory lane through the gallery of things missed was more of a cry about how anxious he was about things changing.  Not even about going to school...just the change that the new school year signaled. Seth is definitely a creature of habit and change is something that he has never been a fan.   

Momma, Dada, and Biz all crawled into Seth's bed with him and listened to him lament on the things that he missed and to wipe away the tears.  Then we talked about the good things the changes in life can bring and that God has a plan for him and for him to fulfill it, things have to keep moving.  We all prayed over Seth, especially for God's comfort as he approaches another change and for him to have joy in it.  We allowed Biz to sleep with him and put his bible beside of him, and Seth was instantly at ease and fast asleep within minutes.

I know Seth will be fine. He just has a big fear of the unknown. I can relate. Seth still never wants to go to his class at church, although when we come to pick him up afterward, we have to drag him away from the good time he is having. Last school year, he always said he didn't want to go, but once there, he was totally fine and jumped right in with the other kiddos.

When I got to bed, I thought about how my own anxieties can be so similar to Seth's.  I usually approach change kicking and screaming.  I tend to hold too tightly to my life and the way I think things should be, and completely forget to TRUST Christ with the life He has given me.  I often find myself overwhelmed by the anticipation of change, only to enter into it and discover it is either not a big deal or it leads to something much better than I could imagine. Much better than my contentment. Yes, I can get so content in life that I forget that life is not about being me being content.  Life is about moving forward to the place God has for me to best glorify Him. And yes, that brings on lots of changes.

Our small group leader, Terri, has a motto, "God's got it," which she applies to all situations. Very simple and very true. She is a good example of someone who truly lives by this.  Eric has adopted this, as well, and I hear him saying more and more.  I am thankful, because it is the truth and my wandering mind needs to hear this truth daily. (hourly, even)  If I truly believe that "God's got it," then in what situation can I be fearful?  One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 4:6-7, which says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  God's word is alive and active and in order for me to have His peace then according to His word, I can NOT be anxious about ANYTHING and in ALL situations, I must be laying my needs before Christ and communicating with Him through prayer.  Often I allow my emotions, distractions, and/or my desire to do things my way, to get in the way of the rest and joy that comes from walking in God's peace and truly living the life that God has for me. 

As I laid in bed, I continued to pray for Seth and for him to remember to pray to Jesus while he was in school, especially if he felt lonely or anxious.  I prayed that he would always feel Christ's presence with him and that he would have a Godly confidence and peace about him no matter where he was...even preschool.  I prayed that God would better equip both Seth and I for the changes of life and that ultimately we would both do a better job of trusting our Savior in ALL things.  Seth is learning and growing and it is my hope that Seth will do a better job with this when he is thirty-three, than his momma does at times.  I trust that he will and I trust that as I continue to learn and grow in Christ, this will be an area that I struggle with less.  After all, "God's got it." Simple truth. 

Seth woke up still not wanting to go to school, but he did not put up a fight.  Granny and I saw him off for his first day.  He told me in the van ride over that he didn't want to go, but once we got to school, he began to smile.  Once we entered his ole familiar school, his confidence grew.  He gave me a big hug at the door and went right in with his teacher...all smiles.  I picked up a smiling little boy, too.  He had a wonderful first day of pre-K.

Of course, when I asked him if he had fun at school.  He shook his head, "no."  I wasn't surprised.  But then he proceeded to tell me about all of the great things he did during the day and how nice Mrs. Jennifer was.

I am confident that he is going to have a wonderful year!!