Well, I just came back from a 3 day trip to Virginia – two days driving 11-12 hours and one day to visit a university. So much to take in, learning from the Lord, learning from my daughter, whose life next phase we were squaring away. I have to be honest, I had a lot of reservations about her choice at first.
It’s so far away!
What if you can’t think for yourself?
I’m not sure….I didn’t pick it.
A lot of honesty here – I went to a secular state school, and I grew the most in my faith there. I was given the freedom to choose what I think, to cling or to not cling if I want to, and many beliefs were challenged.
And now I’m at another institution of higher learning, a private Christian school, and I’ve grown to have some reservations about Christian schools. The whole “think for yourself” thing, or lack of it, and spiritual authority issues which can be damaging.
And there we were, at the place God is calling her. It was so evident this was the place she is supposed to be. I couldn’t deny it. If “felt” right, and all the secret litmus tests I had were passed. All the people I spoke to were secretly posed a question …”will you handle my most prized possession with care?”
Chuck Swindoll teaches on raising your children in they way THEY should go, according to their bents (Proverbs 22:6)…..meaning foster their individuality, gifts and strengths. Not the ones we, as parents, want them to have. I saw this is practice this week. I know every parent goes through this thing of releasing their children. In fact, we begin the day they are born, because they are not really ours. We just think they are.
I loved to see the smile on her face…the complete joy and yet sideways glances….”do you approve mom?” How could I not approve? Her life is not mine, though I like to think I have the most influence or whatever over it.
I was given a glimpse of the releasing of the arrows we call children ….for them to go where they are to go….and I could not but smile. The Lord is so good, to draw children to himself, and ask us to hand off the baton to Him for the next leg of the relay. If I’m smart, I’ll let the pass be clean, not dropping the baton.
And she’ll be off. With Him. There is so much more to this story than I can share now, because it is part of her journey, my journey, and our story. But for now, I can only Praise the Living God……He’s got her back….and that is the best I could ever hope for.
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