"the fountain"

i had been waiting my whole parenthood life for the day to come when i could sign up to volunteer at my child's school. this was my year. my daughter started kindergarten and i was officially part of the "fraternity of school-aged kids".

my first big "gig" arrived, when the letter came home to sign up for the school book fair. i signed the paper and checked off every time i was available and made sure it was okay that i brought my 3 year old son. days later, email confirmation arrived. i was ready!

4 days later, i packed up my son and off we went. i proudly displayed my permanent volunteer bdage (that took a week to get, might i add!) and opened the door to the front office, made my way over to the sign in table, waived my "badge" (with a shry little smile) and took a seat until it was time.

while waiting, my son noticed the drinking fountain. his eyes lit up and he looked at me and asked for a drink. i nodded and he bounced over that direction. i smiled. much to his dismay, he was not quite tall enough to reach. he could press the button and watch the stream of water arch across the basin, but he was just too short to reach for a sip. he looked at me... you know, with those eyes that simply said, "help, please?" without hesitation, i leap up to help. as i lifted him up, just a few inches, he was able to reach the water. but just as he went to get a drink, the water was gone. he looked perplexed and i pointed at the button. quietly i whispered, "you have to hold the button down while you get a drink...at the same time. try again." so he did. he fumbled a bit, but after a couple attempts, he did it. it was just a sip, but his chest puffed up as he walked off with that look on his face that said, "i conquered THE FOUNTAIN."

ya know, i love how as a parent, i can see first hand the same love and support that god has for us. when we are facing something difficult and uncertain as to how to move forward, god is there to lift us up and whisper quietly in our ear the exact words we need to hear. and i love that when he lifts us, he is always underneath, supporting us in case we fall again. and if we do, he just encourages us to keep going. and i am certain, that when we come through and become a "conqueror", that god smiles down and is proud that we did.

that day, my son was on cloud nine that he got a drink from "the fountain". and i was on cloud nine because i got to watch him be successful and be the support he needed just when he needed it. not to mention, i logged 8 hours of volunteer time, bought way to many books (but hey, it went to a great cause!) and am now checking my daughter's backpack everyday for the next opportunity to wear my badge. the joys of parenthood...

Jeni Barbush

loveSTRONG ministries

Executive Director

www.lovestrongministries.com