Puke and Peace in Foster Care

Life in foster care—it’s something. We’ve all had that day that just does not go as planned.

You’re driving to work—this might not sound like anything special, but trust me, it is.

Today’s the first day your sweet little one is supposed to start daycare. Seriously, success! You’ve finally found a daycare you’re comfortable with AND has an open spot. You’ve also completed all the paperwork, and reworked your schedule so you won’t be the last parent to pick up your child at the end of the day.

Then you hear it. You know those sounds. She puked. It’s all over herself and the car seat.

You immediately pull over. Thankfully, you remembered an extra set of clothes. You find some wipes—unscented will have to do even though you need lavender, fresh linen, something! She’s crying. She hates being dirty. You don’t want to get dirty either. So, you do your best to clean both her and the car seat up. After a change of clothes, you literally wrap her in paper towels in case it happens again.

You can’t go to daycare at this point. You turn around and go home. She pukes again. You keep driving. After what feels like hours (but really is less than 20 minutes), you get home. You get her cleaned up. Then you have got to tackle that car seat! It smells. You smell. It feels like everything smells at this point. You have no idea how to clean this stinkin’ car seat. How do you take it apart? YouTube.

It’s clean! Four days pass. She’s healthy again. Just kidding, it happens again. Repeat above.

And in all of this, your emotions are all over the place.

You’re mad that you have to clean up the mess. You feel bad that you’re mad. She didn’t mean to do it. All you wanted was to go back to a normal day of work. Is that so wrong? Why did this have to happen? And what is wrong? Why is she sick again?

We’ve all been there. Maybe this isn’t your scenario, but regardless of the particulars, here’s what I do know, parenting can be tough!

But here’s what I also know, I’m right where I need to be—puke and all. Ok, maybe I could do without the puke.

I will not let the enemy tell me that I’ve made a mistake.

My immediate reaction to hard things is to run the opposite direction. As much as I yearn to do that, I choose to stay. In the hard, I remind myself of God’s intentionality in the course He’s laid before me. It causes me to stay.

When we step into the journey God has chosen us to follow, He never once promised it would be easy. In fact, Jesus states in John 16:33, “In this world, you will have trouble.” He promised us trouble, my friends. But the next part of that verse is so compelling. Jesus continues, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

You and I can stay the course in the midst of big trials and small day-to-day troubles—in the midst of puke, dirty car seats, more puke, missed hours at work, the emotional rollercoasters—because of Christ.

Jesus has already overcome the world—and when He states the “world,” He also means the troubles we are encountering today. We have not made mistakes by stepping into the hard journeys we are on, no matter how difficult they are.

Instead of running the opposite direction, like we so yearn to do, will you join me in fighting the enemy’s lies with God’s promises and truth?

Whatever you’re facing today—know you are not alone. I feel your pain, friend. Others on this journey feel your pain, too. But most importantly, Jesus has promised that although trouble will still come in this world, it doesn’t have the final say. Hard won’t be our reality forever. There is hope.

Jesus has already overcome the world.

He is my source of peace when I feel like running.