I’m not sure when my life became such a synchronized and measurable masterpiece of events, but as I prepare to share with you, I want everyone to know that my favorite color became pink AFTER I was informed that my first child was going to be a girl, and before I knew that I was going to need a cape.  Before I was married with three kids, my favorite color was black and my multi-tasking skills were virtually untapped.  How could I have known that my first child’s gender would permanently change my color of choice, and that a cape was only meant to enhance my much-needed skills that were dormant in 1999?

Fast-forward 10 years. As I was sitting peacefully one day planning and plotting my upcoming week, it occurred to me that a crazy yet recognizable rhythm had become my theme song.  I run a 9-minute mile, I prepare 30-minute meals, my kids are ages 5-7-9, I plan my days in 3-hour increments, and I still love 80’s music.  I am impressed daily by the wisdom of a child, frightened nightly by the headline news, moved to tears weekly by amazing worship, available always to any friend in need, motivated daily to eat right and exercise, and driven almost hourly to seek approval or direction from my Father in heaven.  The rhythm seems almost too fast to sing along to but not fast enough for the pace of my life.  That’s why I have a cape.  Not just any cape, but a faster than a speeding bullet-stronger than the strongest man-more powerful than any kryptonite-kind of pink cape with blinking lights and sparkles. It’s made from a silky fabric that breathes because it never comes off, so it must be comfortable!  Yes, that’s right, I’m your neighborhood super-mom-wife-friend-daughter-sister-innovator-motivator-coach-driver-stylist-you name it!  But there’s only one small problem with the beautiful cape and the rhythm it goes with: batteries are not included!

Oh the horror!  First, nobody told me that I was even going to need a cape until I was 3 children into it, and then nobody told me that once I figured out the cape trick that it did NOT come with batteries!  The reason this has come as a sudden shock to me is simple; my batteries ran out and all of a sudden I could no longer act like the superhero I had decided to impersonate.  It didn’t happen all at once, but slowly my battery pack began to drain.

It began with a deep wound to my heart from someone I had considered to be a close friend.  Her words and actions (which have almost all been forgotten now) took a jab at my cape. Then there was my son’s disappointment when I had tried to fit too much into my day and he was late-and embarrassed at his football practice.  Bam!  His sad face hit me right in the sparkly section of my cape.  Factor in the night I went to my part-time job at Starbucks, and my fellow barista mentioned that I looked tired and was seemingly not on my game that night.  Ouch!  I felt a tight pinch right around the part where my cape fastens on my neck.  And then, the last blow–a fever, headache, congestion, a husband with a very disapproving glance and a diagnosis of a severe sinus infection–game over, batteries done.

It would be easy to blame the manufacturer of the cape or assume the batteries were faulty, but in this case, I had to accept full responsibility: owner abuse.  In my excitement of discovering the cape and the distraction of its beautiful pink color and blinking lights, I forgot to completely read the instruction manual.  You see, even superheroes have a secret identity.  They can’t be super all of the time, and they are human.  Superheroes have feelings that the cape was not designed to hide.  For some strange reason I thought I was the one that could defy the odds and set a new and higher standard for all wanna-be supergirls while keeping my health and emotions completely in check.  There was only one small teensy little problem with my precocious little plan: I thought the cape was designed to help shield me from impulse decisions, offensive words and poor time-management.  Oops.

The cape is really only supposed to be used in extreme emergencies, not on a daily basis, and definitely not 24 hours a day!  I’m supposed to discern when to say no, how to set realistic goals, plan travel times and pick-ups accordingly, and definitely not agree to so many social engagements and work commitments that I end up canceling all of them to nurse a self-induced-fever-enhanced-exhausting sinus infection.  I’m also allowed to have my feelings hurt and talk it out while eating bad-for-you food.  The cape is not supposed to act like my primary shield of defense where nothing can penetrate its super nylon layer.

The supergirl cape is supposed to be used during times that I have no control or input, like on any given Saturday when we have a football game, a soccer game, a best-friend’s birthday party and a 5 am opening shift at Starbucks.  These are all scheduled events that are important to someone and not necessarily controlled by me.  This is when the beautiful cape is unveiled, allowing for super strength to get up early and work fast and furious making lattes, then leaping over cars to be the proudest mom on the sidelines at a rainy football game, then quickly flying over to another location to cheer for a little 4-year old who is looking for his mom to see his “superkick”, then gently picking up a precious little girl with her best friend’s gift in hand and delivering her to the perfect party destination.  Aaaaaaaahhhhh.  The cape saves the day again.  Here is the lesson for all of us who have a secret identity and cape somewhere within our grasp: the cape gets PUT AWAY until the next time events out of our control are scheduled, not when we plan our life that way and get caught up in a rhythm we cannot maintain.  God definitely had a plan when He created us without a cape actually attached.

Finally, the key to having batteries that never run out is to buy the kind that are re-chargeable.  Of course, to the seasoned cape-wearer this is not new information.  But for someone like me, who just learned the hard way the benefits and pitfalls of the supergirl cape, this information is vital.  The batteries on the cape will just naturally re-charge themselves when used appropriately and not excessively.  The rest of my life is up to me and the choices I make: friendships I accept and invitations I decline, travel time I plan for and negative situations I avoid.  As for the cape, it’s still within my reach and still my favorite color pink, but I haven’t had to use it too much lately.  I’ll have to remind myself to review the owner’s manual soon though because the holiday season is just around the corner and if I’m not careful, I may forget to buy the right batteries!

“…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Marsia Van Wormer