2013-12-18 - From Lawns to Streets

When our kids were about three and five-years-old they each got battery operated little cars from my stepfather. I cannot remember if it was for birthdays or Christmas, but I do remember how excited they were to be able to ride around either alone or with a friend in their very own car. We had a pretty big back yard and a long driveway so the property was conducive to them making the most of those little cars and so they did. I really didn’t worry much about them getting injured in them as the way they were designed it was pretty hard to have a bad wreck. I was thrilled for them to have a new measure of independence.

More recently, my youngest is now almost 18 and he and I have been going out for him to practice driving. Our daughter did a lot of her practicing with her dad, but for the moment my dear hubby is on crutches so I get to be the one out with our son much of the time. He’s almost finished with his driver’s education class and after some more practice behind the wheel, he’ll be ready to take himself across town to community college to begin classes. I can tell you that the excitement level for me at this particular juncture is a little different from when they played in those battery operated cars that were hard to hurt and hard to hurt each other too. My stress level is higher and it’s mostly my concern for my children’s safety with the way people drive with little thought to what they’re doing. You’ve been on the road; you know what I’m talking about. And some of my stress is this type of letting go is a little harder too.

There’s a lot more that’s out of our protective zone as parents when the kids drive off in the car; much more to lose than a piece of plastic or a damaged toy. The life we’ve spent so many years nurturing, guiding, and loving is now an individual that is beginning to go out on their own in places we can’t protect them.

As I thought about all this the other night when I reminisced about how sweet those younger years were, I thought about how God longs for us to let go too. But He wants us to let go of things so He can handle them for us, knowing we’re really quite incapable without Him. Not to mention the fact He’s an amazing Father and wants to take care of us. And so I should be comforted that when I am letting go of my kids to go do whatever God has in mind for them that He will also be wrapping His arms around them. I am not just tossing them out to the wolves. And there is no guarantee that things will always turn out the way I think they should go, but they will go how they ought to go to fulfill His will. Besides, my job has been to work for Him getting them ready. If I don’t let go then they can’t learn and He can’t use them.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. (John 14:1 NIV)

Deborah Durrett

cfpraydeb@gmail.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org