Staying Out of the Way

As a Mother, I think one of the hardest lessons to learn is to get out of God's way with our kids. He has a plan for their lives and He knows the necessary experiences to prepare them for that call. My kids are 2.5 and 4 years old. We have had minor experience with this lesson and I am hoping that I will learn to comply with this before I really make a mess of things.

I find myself trying to keep them connected with kids they no longer see. The ones I think are worth keeping. Even though it is a struggle to get together I am 'striving' to make this happen. I mean, isn't that what I am supposed to do?? Connect them properly?

I am finding this task is more difficult than I thought. I have already had 2 experiences where I tried to 'make a connection' for HC and God showed me that if I had left my hands off of the matter - He had full control. My effort to interfere caused HC to miss out on the time with her friend. I was trying to get her into the right class on Sunday morning, and if I let her go to the class she would have been in all along, she would have been with the teacher she liked and the friends I was working on connecting her with.

I believe He was showing me that He doesn't need my help in HC's, or JB's, connections away from me. He has it all under control. My job is to prepare them in the way to go. To teach them the ways of God and to prepare them to be good citizens in this world. I cannot guard them against mean friends. I cannot arrange the perfect connections. I mean really, the friends I am working so hard on keeping around - HE brought them into our lives to begin with.

I just feel such a responsibility to my kids. I feel like I should do so much that I forget God has had his hand in our life all along. He goes before us. He even goes before us at their Sunday school class at church. (Imagine that!) I can rest in knowing HE is able to guard them when I am not around. HE knows the kids who will be good for them. His ways are higher and He knows exactly how to keep my kids. I mean really, who am I to think I can even raise them properly. I mess up every day. I do not keep my cool when they exasperate me. I shout when I should listen. How in the world do I think I can handle this?? My job is to focus on training them in the way they should go and HIS job is to draw them to Him. I have a small part in the process but it is a major part too. I do influence them and I should do all I can to influence them properly but I cannot do it all. I must trust God to do His part.

Yes, I know - my kids are still young. I know I have miles to go before I sleep. But I pray I take this lesson in and I pray I will be strong enough to trust God to handle His part. Trust Him to keep His word. Trust that HE loves my kids more than I can even imagine loving them. Hard to believe that is possible, but it is true!

I noticed on our outing, to the P*mpkin Patch, on Friday HC was spreading her brave wings a bit. She usually stays near me and helps with JB. She did do that but she asked if she could sit near an older girl and from then on HC was her shadow. I must admit, the girl she chose was a good one to choose. She was stepping away from me a tiny bit and I know there is so much more for me to learn as she continues to grow. I pray I will stay out of the way. I pray I can step into the next phase of parenting without suffocating my kids. The phase where they become independent of me. She is taking baby steps in that direction now but soon she will be ready to let go more and more. She is 4 years old and I must learn to step out of the way at the right time while remaining right there. Whew. What a tough phase I have ahead of me.