For the caregivers, the parents, the aunts and uncles, the nannies, the friends and godparents, grandparents and foster parents and anyone who feels the weight of loving another human being:
Blessed are you, shepherds of little lambs. May you remember that you, too, have a shepherd, and that you are also a beloved lamb.
Blessed are you who hear the latest headlines and think, “I can’t imagine,” and who hug your little ones extra tight at the end of the day, grateful that they are still in your arms. And blessed are you, whose arms have been empty. May you be comforted.
Blessed are you who are scared to death, and who drop your kids off anyway, hoping they will be safe. May your worst fears go unrealized and your souls be stilled.
Blessed are you who press palms gently against foreheads checking for fevers--you who have kept close watch over such fragile creatures in a global pandemic. May you find reprieve from constant vigilance.
Blessed are you who make pediatric counseling appointments and wonder where all of the anxiety is coming from. May the loving voice of God be louder than the voice of guilt or shame.
Blessed are you who second guess decisions big or small, about healthcare and school and finances and what to make for dinner. May you find peace even when you aren’t sure.
Blessed are you who referee sibling arguments, police homework deadlines, assign chores, and sometimes forget it’s your turn to pick up from school. May some bit of order be restored to you today.
Blessed are you when you fall asleep in the car line. May you find rest in a God who cares about our bodies.
Blessed are you who lose your cool, who apologize, and who pray you aren’t traumatizing your children. May forgiveness and grace be yours.
Blessed are you who feel like the birthdays and milestones are coming faster every year and who don’t feel quite ready to let go. And blessed are you who feel like graduation day can’t come soon enough. May time be kind to you.
Blessed are you whose little people are still becoming. May you trade in your dreams and expectations for the reality of who they are and may the fullness of their humanity be a gift to you and to the world.
Blessed are you whose family doesn’t look like everyone else’s. May you remember Jesus and his chosen family of misfits and outcasts and people who don’t always get along and may you know there is a place for you there, too.
Blessed are you when the crises keep coming, when the emails don’t stop, when the phone rings with bad news, when another behavioral report comes in, and when everything is complicated and overwhelming when you’re doing the best you can. May you catch your breath and catch a break.
Blessed are you who pour out love again and again and again and again without any guarantee of its return. God’s love for you is limitless.
Amen.
"He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young." - Isaiah 40:11 (NIV)
May God's peace be with you!
— Flo Paris Oakes