Haircut

He was riding his bike in the house as Jamie was making dinner and he ran into the wall and hurt his nose and busted his lip.  Sam, my two year old convinced his mom to call me so he could tell me the story because for some reason he though it was important for me to know what had just happened. When mom just isn't enough, surely my Sassy can make it better.  Of course I was saddened with the news and wondered how I could make it better and asked if coming over to my house the following day to hang out would somehow ease the pain. That was what he needed and yes he was at my house the next morning, and he did accompany me to lunch that I had planned with my friend.  A most wonderful time for sure.  
This was the first part of the story, and the point here is that we all need to be able to call on someone when life gets us down.  And what we forget is that God always witnesses our whole scenario and he knows where we hurt, and how deep we hurt and what it will take to get us back on our feet and life us above whatever it is that has tackled us.  IN this case it was a wall, as it is with many of us: a wall of confusion, a wall of despair, a wall of loneliness, a wall of frustration, a wall of defeat, or maybe even just a wall of burnout. He is just a call away and is there to comfort us with his promises of strength and his authority over the final outcome.  

The second part of the story begins her: when Sam was dropped off yesterday morning, Jamie looked at him and, sort of talking to herself,  said "boy you need a haircut" and I offered immediately to take him for one after lunch.  She said mom, you do what you want but let me warn you he does not like haircuts. I thought I can handle this...its only a haircut.

We went to a place called Snip-Its after lunch and he was game because I had told him that this is where I had taken Catherine to get a haircut a few weeks back.  The place was a fun spot with videos going and wheels to fiddle with and fun graphic designs all over the walls. We had to wait a couple of minutes but finally it was Sam's turn. Up until now, there were no worries.  The closer we got to the chair the stronger the apprehension became. She was right, haircuts were a thing of anxiety.  I picked him up and sat him in the chair and he wiggled right out, and I tried it again, same thing.  This was not going to happen...or was it.  This time I put him in the chair, knelt down beside him. and held those little hands and spoke softly to him as the lady put on the smock.  The video had begun, lollypops were spotted on the counter, and there was a heavy ball with sparkles for sale on the shelf beside us; all props for distraction.  And little by little as I stayed close beside him and we talked of the pigs and spacemen and bears on the smock he began to ease into the situation, realizing no one was going to hurt him, and the experience might just be a little fun, after all who doesn't like a good movie.  And soon it was done, mission accomplished and Sam was one step closer to accepting a haircut without dubious hesitation.

But the thing I realized was the process of compromise began not by all the distractions rather the closeness and trust of having someone beside you who made you feel loved and secure. The other stuff came into focus after the anxiety had settled down. 

Aren't we like that.  When things come at us that are uncomfortable and scary, folks tend to throw distractions at us that just seem to complicate a situation rather than calm an anxious heart.  It is when we seek and find security that we are able to settle into the adversities that are before us. And that security for all of us is being with someone who we know loves us, someone who we can trust, and someone who has our best interest in mind; Christ himself.   

Christ kneels with us at our darkened moments, and gives us the security that we long for if only we allow him to be close enough to touch our hearts, and engage our emotions with his love. He whispers his love and grace upon us and gives us strength to look beyond the circumstance at hand.  It is hard to be yielded up into a chair of unknown expectations, but if we trust God to be the actual handler of our situations and faithfully sit on the lap of he who is in his throne, there is where we will find strength and comfort and a guard that shields our fear. 

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 

I don't know how Sam will handle the next haircut but the way I figure it, is each time might be a little less traumatic because the situation will become a familiar one.  We have to accept the challenges and opportunities that come our way with faith; faith in the ones who God has given us to stand beside us when things grow weary and scary and faith that God himself continues to watch over us and provide us with the grace and strength that we need to carry on....if only we trust him with all our heart. 

Dear Lord, Thank you that you do know when we are scared and situations that we are faced with us have caused us to be anxious. 

Please kneel beside us when we have been lifted to a chair of unknown expectations and heart to know of your faithfulness, the eyes to see your blessings, and the will to go beyond our own strength and to tap into yours.  Amen        

--
Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!