Contributed by Darren Lim • Aug 22, 2023

Parenting is a lifelong commitment that oftentime feels like continuously holding water bottles out with outstretched arms. These bottles may not be very heavy in the beginning but over time, the “heaviness” starts to wear down parents physically, mentally and emotionally.

In our zeal to help our sons (especially the eldest) brush up academically, we signed him up for many virtual tuition and enrichment classes. There’s Mandarin three times a week, Bahasa Malaysia and piano on Friday evenings and abacus on Sunday.

All these arrangements seemed to work out fine initially but we found ourselves running from post to post. Our sons spend most of their after-school hours getting through homework, revision and then tuition and enrichment classes. Everything came to a grinding halt when we attempted to fit in Children’s Church, in-person Celebrations and most recently physical CG meet. It was no longer possible to “log off” from DUMC and log on to one of our kid’s virtual classes. This has been one reason delaying us from fully returning to the original church arrangements.

I stepped back one day and realised that there was a tendency for our family to raise several decibels at the dinner table. This feeling of running on empty, of constantly chasing time was fueling my impatience towards the family and reason for misbehaviour on the kids’ part.

Nothing seemed to fit right. As more time was poured into our children’s education, it felt like more time was required. It was an endless cycle of take, take and take without a breather in sight.

We humbly came before God to seek Him in prayer and committed the seemingly impossible time demands that were now wearing us down. The Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart a heart question – “Do you honour Me more than these?” We have built our lives focused around education and in ensuring our kids are able to make something of themselves in the world. But we have failed to build all these upon Christ as our solid rock.

Looking back, Jesus has always been there to guide, bless and protect us. We are not out of the water yet as the Lord is still doing deep heart work in and through our lives. However, we put our hope in Him. Thus far, He has led us and therefore He will continue to do so. Unlike any other value or foundation of this world, He freely gives what we most need in season. He is our Ebenezer, our hope, our solid rock.