When my girls were all school-age and I was teaching, we would all be so excited on that last day of school! The early mornings, the last minute “I forgot” homework, the planned and packed lunches were all traded in for lazy mornings, pool days, and plenty of ice cream and lemonade. What a great feeling of relief we all felt those first few days!
However, all of those joyful exchanges would quickly turn to arguments, dirty dishes, messy rooms, and squashed plans…. Lots of “me” and “I want” … That’s when I knew!
Our summer had been infected with SPS, Summer Princess Syndrome.
I would hear, “But it’s our summer vacation!” And, they were right! It was. And, it was mine as well! But that didn’t mean we could live in the world of yes to everything and all things go. We just had to learn to adjust to our summer structures, a different set of rules and expectations. We would still have fun; we just needed some boundaries. There would be a lot of freedom, but also responsibility. We were able to say yes to lots of things, but we did also have to say no at times.
It would take a week or so of tweaking, but we always did it. And, our summers were better for it. SPS didn’t last forever, but it did re-emerge. I learned to expect it and deal with it swiftly.
Some of you might be dealing with Summer Princess Syndrome right now. I think most of us have been there. I can laugh about it now, but I can also tell you there were tears shed those summers we were trying to cure it!
Now, my girls are grown. I am no longer teaching. We all stay pretty busy throughout the summer and throughout the year. We are here, there, and all over. Adjustments to our schedules and to each other are constantly being considered. No more SPS! But the symptoms sometimes continue to surface…into the different walks of life.
Even in our faith walk.
Do you ever find yourself experiencing something similar to Summer Princess Syndrome when working through God’s plans for your life?
We reach a certain point in our adult lives, and we think we have “arrived” (so to speak). We have earned what we wish for. We gripe about how hard we have worked to get there. We whine about how we deserve what we crave. We want what we want and we plead for things to go our way. We ask God why or maybe why not? We respect limits, as long as we can set them ourselves. After all, it’s our life. Right?
As much as I hate to admit it, I know I have tried to justify my desires. I expect my plans to come to fruition because I want them to. Under my control, my ideas sound good! But God tweaks those plans; He sets paths for our good. He promises freedom and joy and peace and more. Not because we have earned or deserve these things, but because He loves us. Just as I love my princesses, God loves us too much to let our limited understanding guide us. His ways are good, and when we allow our faith to be greater than our own direction, we will be able to experience His blessings. Sometimes it might look like a yes, but it might look like a no some too.
So, through prayer, discernment, and obedience, we can live in His goodness and know that even if it’s not exactly how we have anticipated, His ways are good. Always.
May the Summer Princess Syndrome suffering be short-lived among my friends in the thick of parenting princesses, and may we all trust in God’s love and truth for all things good in our lives.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)