One of the biggest paradoxes about parenthood is how you influence EVERYTHING and yet have so little control over things when you really think about it.
Like… we deal with the impact of how we were raised for the rest of our lives. The kiddos soak up everything. You let one grown-up word slip at the wrong time and you might have to deal with hearing that on repeat for a long time to come. The stakes get higher when you see some of your own traits- including your vices- carried by your child.
That’s a lot to carry, but on the flip side? You drop a kid off for the first day of school and you realize how much stuff- in the grand scheme of their life- is gonna be out of your control. One long night with a feverish baby and you realize so much is out of your hands.
Weird combo, right? Responsible for so much, in control of so little?
My grandma used to wake up at 4am and start praying. For hours. Now that all makes sense. She had nine kids!
Kayla Craig has done the world a tremendous favor with Liturgies for Parents and her book To Light Their Way which is officially out today! This book is full of prayers for moms and dads- especially for those moments where you don’t have the words.
I’m gonna let you in on a secret, okay? I got misty eyes reading the freaking Table of Contents! How does that even happen?
Reading the list of moments big and small, personal and global, felt like taking a long look down the road of parenthood and seeing it in its wholeness. There are prayers for pregnancy and infertility, for the birth of a sibling, adoption, a new pet, and the first day of school. For when your kid is bullied or when your kid bullies someone. Stressful mornings and playtime. Gun violence and racism. Advent. Mother’s Day. The loss of a pet, learning to drive, and leaving home.
