Nicole’s e-Pistle

May 28, 2025

Greetings, Friends!

I want to preface my message today by saying that my target audience is working parents. For those of you who do not currently fall in that category, I hope you will find grace enough to fit your own situation as well!

I recently saw a commercial put out by a leading maker of baby foods that showed two parents of a baby apologizing to people for various things. The Mom said she was sorry as she interrupted a Zoom meeting to give her toddler a snack. Then the dad apologized to a guy for changing his baby’s diaper on the sink in a public restroom (because there was no changing table). The same couple apologized to a driver as they struggled to get baby things out of the back of their SUV in the middle of traffic. Finally, the mom tried to settle into her seat on a plane and apologized to the people around her for her crying child. Another mother handed her a pouch of fruit puree and told her she was doing great. Then the slogan of the commercial said, “The world of parenting could use a lot less sorry, and a lot more support.”

In the past several weeks, I have felt a great sense of community with those of you who are struggling to balance work and home life as working parents, especially while juggling end-of-the-school-year craziness! My own motto lately has centered around being flexible. With graduations (pre-school in my daughter’s case), awards ceremonies, class projects and parties, teacher appreciation week, sports tournaments, and seasonal viruses, life has required an extra measure of flexibility. I have heard the struggles that many of you face as you try to juggle all that life demands of you, which inevitably leads to being late, missing appointments, and rearranging schedules to accommodate everything you have to get done. I am not sure if any of the working parents in our congregation even have time to read this e-Pistle, but I want you all to know that you are not alone. Even as I type this message, I’m doing so after being in bed for two days with a nasty cold virus while also relying on my 9-year-old to look after his little sister while their Daddy finishes out the teacher work week. (I managed to crawl downstairs twice yesterday to get breakfast and lunch ready for them, and that took all my energy for the day!)

For all of you that are feeling overwhelmed in any way (parenting related or not), who feel the pressure of doing “enough” – of being “enough” – know that you do and you are. We have a God who loves you through every stage of life, especially during the times that feel overwhelming. If God loves you and walks beside you, even when you don’t have everything figured out and when you feel like you’re a total mess, then it’s time to give yourself a little grace as well!

Blessings and Peace,