Wednesday, August 29, 2012

First Day of School

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. James 1: 5-8 



Well, another school year has begun. This past Monday Dan and I waved goodbye to our sons as they boarded bus #67 which carried them to the first day of fifth and first grades.

I stood at the end of the driveway and watched the bus disappear at the bend of the road. My heart sank. My sons are out of my hands.

Once again I was faced with reality. The illusion of control vanished. They don’t really belong to me. They are not really “in my hands.” I can’t really protect them all the time. I pondered these hard-to-swallow truths and I realized that even though I can’t keep them behind a protective glass, all wrapped in bubble wrap-even there they won’t be 100% safe as they’ll asphyxiate-there is something I can do to ensure they’ll be safe. I can release them to the Lord.

They belong to Him. He is the One who let me borrow them for a little while. He allowed me to have them for a season to love, care for and teach them about Him, so one day they would walk on their own and find their own faith. He is the One who loves them more than I ever could. And He knows their destiny because He tells us,

“I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)” 

Therefore, trusting that when God says “you” He means my sons, I release them. I release them into the loving hands of their Creator and trust in His perfect plan for them. I hesitate, for I have control issues and I struggle with letting go; but I’m resolved to release them, so I do. And as I take them back, I release them again, and again, and one more time. Every time I feel anxiety creep over me, I release them once again, casting my anxieties upon Him and praying for the Lord to increase my faith.

Being a Mother surely is not for the faint of heart. I thought I was tough, but I am weak. The good news is that we have a Strong Father, an Ever-Present Savior and the Spirit of Truth and Wisdom in us. We are victorious in our battles for He fights with us and often times for us. Therefore, I can say


Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6) 

My husband and I slowly walked back up the driveway trying to take our minds off of the boys by talking about the need to do some serious landscaping. We entered a really quiet house and silently acknowledged the inevitable passage of time. It’s time to trust.

“in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?“ Psalm 56:11




7 comments:

  1. Being a mom is undoubtably the toughest job there is. We focus so much on our childrens needs that it's easy to neglect the idea of teaching them independence and letting them go. I loved your comment that even if we could wrap them in bubble wrap, they'd asphyxiate! God's blessings as you work to give your children roots and wings!

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    1. Thank you for stopping by and for your thoughtful comment. "Roots AND wings" a winning combination for sure. May the Lord guide us all in this journey of motherhood. Blessings to you!

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  2. Being a mom is rough! I love how you mention your boys are the Lords. My mother used to tell me this when I was little and it really cemented in me that God was my heavenly Father who loved me very much. Being a mom is a moment by moment job. god Bless you! :) This was my favorite part,
    "Being a Mother surely is not for the faint of heart. I thought I was tough, but I am weak. The good news is that we have a Strong Father, an Ever-Present Savior and the Spirit of Truth and Wisdom in us."

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    1. Thank you so much for your visit and your comment. We are the Lord's and yes, I bet hearing that as you grew up guided you along the way. Praise the Lord for your Mom who had the divine insight to instill such a wonderful concept in you. I pray He guides us as we walk on this path to being the Mothers He designed us to be. Blessings to you!

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  3. I really think this is the hardest part of motherhood. When we realize that our children were never really ours to begin with but the Lord's. We have to trust them to His safe keeping--but really who better to trust?

    Thanks for so faithfully participating in WIP Wednesday!

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    1. Thank YOU for giving us the opportunity to participate and join in with other Christian bloggers through WIP Wednesday! It is a wonderful venue and a blessing.

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  4. What a sweet post of the deepest things motherhood brings. At whatever point we must let our children go, it is so hard. You have such a tender heart for the Lord and your family.

    Thank you so much for linking up at Haven of Rest almost two weeks ago. I thought I could keep up with life and blogging...but I didn't!! I hope to have a Linky party ready for this Wednesday but had to skip a week.

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