Stumbling on the Path

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Women

BY: Gerri Kinley

He will not let your foot slip -- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 121:3-4


Early one morning, I was driving my daughter, Abigail, to ballet class. As usual, her younger siblings had come along. During the entire drive, the back seat of my minivan became a literal war zone. My three "angels" screamed and bickered as if their lives depended upon how high the volume could get! To make matters worse, my yelling from the driver's seat to make them stop only added to the pandemonium. My mind began to slowly drift off into a dark cloud of misery and guilt.


"I'm such a failure," I thought. "What kind of mother am I? What did I do wrong to produce this atmosphere with my children?"


In my mind, I wanted to be someplace far away. Turning on the radio was the quickest means of escape.


"Are you a mother of three, ages six and under?" said a voice from the radio. I perked up! "Do you feel angry and frustrated trying to deal with the incessant whining and fighting of toddlers? Well, you're not alone, and my guest today has something to say to you."


The guest happened to be a Christian psychiatrist eager to relate his experiences as a father.


"Every Saturday morning," the doctor began, "I give my wife a break from our kids. She leaves early in the morning and returns about midday. During this time, I feed and play with my children and attempt to get them to do their chores. My whole morning is so saturated with sibling rivalry that I find myself yearning for my wife's return. You know, I would actually rather listen to suicidal patients for the rest of the afternoon than have to remain in my wife's shoes!"


I can't remember what words of wisdom transpired beyond that candid admission. The only thing that mattered was that another person was stumbling on the parenthood path like me -- and a professional, no less, whom I assumed had all the answers!


I realized that this was no coincidental chance meeting via the air waves. God graciously showered me with encouragement and affirmation through the honest words of a struggling dad. In a desperate moment, my hand turned on the radio, but it was God, in His infinite wisdom, who orchestrated the timing.

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