My friend, Randi, sent me a link to this devotion today and it spoke directly to an issue I have been pondering.
There are a handful of Moms of teenagers in my life. Over the last couple of weeks I have had multiple conversations with them about the process of letting go of their teenagers/college students--and the fear that accompanies it.
One of my friends, who took her son to college the week before I sent mine to Kindergarten, described the process akin to giving birth all over again...the pain, the struggle, the joy, the emotion. It must be done--the separation--but it can be a messy.
As our birdies leave the nest we pray we have done 'enough' and prepared them well. We second guess. We long to bubble wrap them and protect them. And yet, if we are honest, the most pivotal experiences in most of our lives are things a loving, well-intentioned parent would have chosen to protect us from. These are the moments that test us, stretch us, prove where we can go for our faith and strength.
And yet, like the author of the post, my prayers are often reduced to protection of my children rather than strength for the inevitable battle of life.
It is certainly not my intention to 'throw my children to the wolves,' but it is clearly not God's Will for me to live life 'protecting them' from Him.
Great food for thought here...
Forgive me, Lord, for forgetting how very big You are. How dare I think I know better than You! Make me like Hannah, committed to Your Will for these children. I give You my fear. I submit to Your Will. Give me strength and courage to trust You!
4 comments:
I once heard the analogy of "preparing our children for the road ahead instead of paving the road for them." You are so right about the experiences that we learn from, but it is much harder to think of our children being in those situations than ourselves. Thank you for this post!
It has been one month since I last saw my son's face or even heard his voice. His letters from boot camp bring me such joy I turn giddy.
Just today I told my friend "I feel like I'm waiting to give birth again. When I see him in October it will be like the first time. I won't have seen him or heard him speak for thirteen weeks and I have no idea what to expect." I know he's already gained 10 pounds. He will be a different young man.
It is so interesting that both situations - letting go and reuniting - can be compared to the joys and pain of birth.
Regardless of our situation and phase in life, I simply cannot imagine facing it without keeping my eye on our Heavenly Father.
Amen and amen! I am guilty as charged as well!! I'm guessing my prayers will start changing..... : )
I'm a mother of three little ones and our family dynamic is sure to serve up many opportunities that will cause them cofusion and pain. God is teaching me that what I CAN do, He can make enough. I pray almost daily that they will turn to Him and not away from Him when pain enters their world. I verbalize that even when we don't understand God, we can trust Him because He is good. Always, He is good. I'm doing my very best, but the truth is that I'm woefully inadequate. Our little family will only make it by His mercy and care. I'm trusting him to fill the cracks in my heart and theirs, to be the soothing balm for disallusioned dreams and to enable each one of them to stand on their own.
I don't know how our story ends yet (my little ones are only age 2, 4, and 6) but I'm trusting Him to weave us into His greater purpose and will.
Missy
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