Worshipping God's Son and Not Mine

10 years of not being able to have a child changes how one sees the world. (Duh, right!?)

I watch the son we chose by adoption and marvel. I thank God for this blessing. I find it very hard not to worship that blessing. Heretical, right?  Perhaps. Yet likely not uncommon.

Every time he learns a new word or song, figures out how to open something or run and climb, I stand in awe. He is smart and healthy and handsome and socially capable and pleasant and athletic and sweet and funny. Other people think that and tell is all the time! Perhaps this is like one who worships the earth rather than its Creator.

In the theoretical part of my brain, I realize that one doesn't set boundaries (consciously) with one's god.  And yet one can tend to get frustrated when the object of worship stops acting the way the worshiper expects. If I was to be honest with myself, I have done this with God. I have put God in my god-box and expected things to go my way. Then I have been desperately heart broken when things didn't go as I planned. In the context of worshiping a child as a god (and I have seen it happen) when that worshiped child begins to scream "NO!" at the top of his lungs, it starts being not fun really quickly. As a counselor, it is painfully clear to me that setting no/insufficient boundaries with a child leads to many, painful consequences.

So, how do I marvel and not worship? How do I praise his growth without giving him undue credit?  How do I teach him that I love him unconditionally while still having reasonable expectations?

Those questions are familiar to thinking parents, I am certain.

And this day, there are mostly questions and not good answers. I praise him for the sweat and try rather than praising for the things God has done for him. I love him with words and hugs and kisses and gifts and discipline and prayer. Lots of all of those.

The Maker of Families gave us our boy and will see us through. There are many thinking parents with whom we seek wisdom. And we love and remain grateful to the Maker of our family.