I was watching the new Wizard of Oz movie last
night and came across the scene where Oz discovers a broken porcelain girl
hiding behind a table in her house. I couldn’t help but compare this
particular scene to my own life and my ability to parent two beautiful little
girls.
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| (Photo: Disney Pictures) |
The porcelain figurine can be used as a very
appropriate analogy if we think about the daintiness of our daughters.
The similarities are striking. We mold our children as they grow, right?
We dress them in outfits that we like and we generally push them toward
activities we enjoyed as children. Our children learn through our verbal
direction and through the observed actions of mom and dad.
Our children are also capable of being broken.
As a fairly new parent (two children – both under 3), I find that this weighs
on my mind the most. I always tend to dwell on how many different ways
they can break. It takes everything in me to hold it together when they
get their shots. I can hardly even look at the photo of Rielle when she
had tubes protruding from her nose and an IV in her little arm.
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| (Photo: Disney Pictures) |
When these things happen, I can’t help but see this
little porcelain doll. It is standing before me and it is chipped.
Or maybe something was broken off. Oh how I wish the fix was as easy as a
dab of glue! Physical boo-boo’s will heal. I have a harder time
thinking of things that I will not be able to fix no matter how hard I try.
How does a father mend his daughter’s broken heart? How does a father
take away the hurt when his daughter is mocked in front of others at school? I
wish I could block pain from their lives. I know that I cannot.
I have my faults as a father. I can be better
in so many ways. I find comfort knowing that the only molding that truly
matters comes solely from our Heavenly Father. He is perfect when I am
not. He will protect, heal, and mend when I am incapable of doing so.
He loves unconditionally, while my emotional responses are varied across the
board.
Heather and I can only do what is humanly possible.
God will do the rest. And if my little porcelain dolls ever break in an
irreparable way, I know I will see them again in perfect form. I find comfort in these things.
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"People were bringing little children
to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked
them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them,
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the
kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth,
anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never
enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands
on them and blessed them." - Mark 10:13-16
"Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it." - Proverbs
22:6
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