Sometimes, as a parent, I get my priorities all wrong.
The other day, we went to start up the boat after anchoring for lunch and discovered the battery was dead. Deader than 4 o'clock. Wouldn't turn over at all.
Our middle son, Princeofthehilltoo, instantly started working into a panic attack. (Happens all the time.) We knew our dear boating friends, Tim and the Mrs., were back at the marina, but my cell phone wasn't working consistently out there, which got the little guy further into a lather. When we did get our friends, they told us their boat was broken and they couldn't get out of the marina. More stress for son. The husband of the couple who was out with us immediately asked Stressed Son if he wanted to pray about it right then and there and out loud. Well, I was a little resistant and a little skeptical, because I didn't want to validate Stressed Son's irrational fear. I didn't want to inadvertently let him think there might REALLY be a problem. I mean, we weren't in any danger, had a full picnic basket, were within swimming distance of the shore where there was a conveniently placed road, etc., etc. But our friend started a prayer and his little girl prayed and Son prayed aloud also with no urging.
Mind you, I hadn't been the least worried other than for the inconvenience to us and risk of marring our guests' outing, but I had noticed we had the lake all to ourselves. No other boats were in evidence. Plus we were in a little bay, back off the main lake. Well, it wasn't a minute before a boat came into sight, and maybe 5 minutes before 3 boats came right to us or past us. Meanwhile, the cell phone rings clear as day and it is Tim and he was jumping in his car to head our way. The first boat to arrive immediately towed us to a dock that, unbeknownst to us, was only about 200 yards away and only about 1/4 mile off the main road. Very obscure, though, no signs, so we weren't sure Tim could find us. However, no sooner had we tied our boat to the dock after receiving the blessed tow, than our Tim (with his 5 kids and sister and her 2 kids) arrived in his car and his sister's car from the Marina with a battery of exactly the right size in his hand to enable our trip to continue. And, I might add, a Superman emblem on his chest. Not really, but it makes the story sound better.
So, Stressed Son got to see the power of prayer in great detail. Think of all the things that fell into place, from the dim place it looked like we were to him. And I almost robbed him of that gift by being more concerned about his anxiety disorder than introducing him to the power of prayer.
Mind you, I hadn't been the least worried other than for the inconvenience to us and risk of marring our guests' outing, but I had noticed we had the lake all to ourselves. No other boats were in evidence. Plus we were in a little bay, back off the main lake. Well, it wasn't a minute before a boat came into sight, and maybe 5 minutes before 3 boats came right to us or past us. Meanwhile, the cell phone rings clear as day and it is Tim and he was jumping in his car to head our way. The first boat to arrive immediately towed us to a dock that, unbeknownst to us, was only about 200 yards away and only about 1/4 mile off the main road. Very obscure, though, no signs, so we weren't sure Tim could find us. However, no sooner had we tied our boat to the dock after receiving the blessed tow, than our Tim (with his 5 kids and sister and her 2 kids) arrived in his car and his sister's car from the Marina with a battery of exactly the right size in his hand to enable our trip to continue. And, I might add, a Superman emblem on his chest. Not really, but it makes the story sound better.
So, Stressed Son got to see the power of prayer in great detail. Think of all the things that fell into place, from the dim place it looked like we were to him. And I almost robbed him of that gift by being more concerned about his anxiety disorder than introducing him to the power of prayer.
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