The First Day of School and 3 Good Reasons Why Those Conflicting Feelings Are Okay

Last Wednesday, I shared here about my conflicting feelings with sending our children to school.

Last Thursday, we gathered our two oldest children's school supplies and brought them to their school's open house.

Last Friday my girls and I traveled to our closest mall and enjoyed our day together shopping for school clothes.

This past weekend we cleaned out rooms and organized closets so they can feel more organized heading off to school (that's how we I work around here).

Today was their first day of school.

Was I excited for them? Yes! 

Do I think they are going to do great in school this year? Ya-ah.

Am I excited to start morning routine with the youngest two now? Absolutely!

Does that change those conflicting feelings? Nope.

Is that okay? Definitely.

Because conflicting feelings can be a gift. 

Here are three good reasons why:

1) Our conflicting feelings remind us of our purpose. As women and mothers, we were created to give life to and nurture our children, not just biologically but spiritually. We are life-givers and nurturers, not just to our own, but to all. This may play out differently for each of us. Even so,  it is normal to have conflicting feelings with sending our own away.

2) Our conflicting feelings may be telling us something we've been ignoring. And we need to listen. They're heightening our senses to an area that is requiring our attention, even if it's not (yet) requiring change. Sometimes our senses need to be heightened. Even if prayer is the only way to attend to them. At some point, we may be called to action. Will we be ready?

3) Ultimately, our conflicting feelings should draw us to Christ. Our conflicting feelings are always seeking the way toward peace. Christ is that way. Only in Christ can we find peace and joy within conflict, as we wait upon Him.

From my experience, conflict only perpetuates itself when we ignore it, try to resolve it in our own will (usually driven by fear manifested in pride), when we look for a quick fix rather than praying through it, and when we're unwilling to embrace the moments of here and now with honesty, integrity, truth and grace.

So for today, this moment, we are at peace...and we couldn't be more excited!

How about you? Did you have conflicting feelings on your child's first day of school and how did you come to terms with it?

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Sharing with Finding Heaven, The Better Mom, The Wellspring,  Graceful, A Pause on the Path,  Works for me Wednesday, Women Living Well, Getting Down with Jesus, Life in Bloom, Beholding Glory, and Raising Arrows