Embracing Fears

The Culprit

Being scared is such a funny thing. We are all scared of so many different things, different situations. We all have a different way of getting through our fears. Even our different fears have their own variations of successfully easing them. For myself I sometimes need to cry, need to run, need a good embrace and more often then not, I need to pray. I am not sure though at what time I figured it out, at what time I new how to embrace my fears, how to get through them knowing that someone so much bigger than me, would always be beside me, was always in control. Jacob and I will sometimes pray when he is scared, after a bad dream or a scary scene in a Disney movie and yet he still seems to be most comforted in my arms. Embracing my kids when they are scared is one of the most precious gifts. I wish that they would always run into my arms and yet I feel joy when they work through their fears on their own. Annika is not my cuddly child, she is very independent and frankly seems almost too busy for hugs. But when she is scared, she can not get enough of being in my arms. I do not want her to be scared and yet I long to hold her and comfort her. That is why when I experience those moments of being able to hug and comfort her I almost feel drunk with joy. While at the Zoo Annika was scared of “Churchill” the polar bear. We were relaxing having lunch when they chose to have his photo ops right by our table. Annika could no longer eat, she shook and cried and then spent the next half hour literally nuzzled to my heart. Yet one more blessed carving in this heart of mine that I will never let go of. I am so grateful God gave us the ability to comfort our children to know the joy that one experiences when their children run into their arms. If anything, it encourages me to run more to his. He must feel the same joy when we long to be embraced by him.