Our son, Christian and two of his friends decided that it would be fun to go to camp together this summer. It's about a two-hour drive from our home but Barry likes to leave so early that we could almost catch the last day of the previous camp. We stopped for lunch and we were still two hours early. Finally the gates opened and we drove in between all the hooting and hollering of the camp councilors welcoming the kids. We found Christian's cabin and in just a few moments both his friends joined us. I handed in his care packages and his allergy meds and after big hugs Barry and I set off home.
"Just think," Barry said, "we could see a different movie every night."
"I know, and we can go out for dinner to all the places we like," I added.
"And sleep late!" he said.
We looked at each other and unleashed at the same moment, "We just left our son in the middle of the woods with a bunch of strangers who say they are Christians but how do we know that!!!"
I am coming to realize that this whole being a parent thing will always tear at my heart. Christian is growing into a wonderful young man but we live in a crazy world and we don't know from one moment until the next what is going to happen to us or to those we love. When that reality hits me hard that's when I pull my heart back under the shelter of God's wings because he does know. He knows what will happen today and tomorrow and he has promised that he will be there. He has not promised that we will be spared from pain but that he will be present in the pain. One of my favorite words is, refuge. I love it because when applied to our lives, Christ is our refuge in any storm large or small. He is our safe haven, our sanctuary. I have six more days of Christian's camp to get through but you may have eighteen months of a son or husbands tour of duty to get through. If you are like me some days the load feels pretty light and you have a firm conviction that God is in control and watching out for those we love. But there are those other days, days when you are tired or discouraged and all the old fears come flooding back. What do you do on those days? This is what I do. I find a quiet place and in my mind I take Christian and I imagine that I am placing him right under the shelter of God's wings. It's hard to grasp on this side of heaven how held we are by the love of God if only we would lean back and find his wings are strong. I may have to imagine placing Christian there but the truth is that he is always there, I just have to remember. I pray today that you will know the peace of God, which passes our human grasp, and the love of Christ our Savior that would fill every space of doubt and fear.
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I have a son in a drug and alcohol rehab center and this really struck me today. I have to relinquish control and put us both under God's wing and seek the refuge to which Sheila refers. I only pray I have the strength, and if I don't I pray that I can pray.
A wonderful post! Thank you. It reminded me when I left my twenty year old son in the States and I was the one to go on a mission trip, thousand of miles away to Peru. I was the one having all these questions, and him wishing me well, and reassuring me "all will be well...listen to God's voice Mom".I had a multitude of questions, like "if something happens to me, who will continue to guide my son as he grows up? Will Christian brothers and sisters we have crossed paths with keep in touch with me? etc..."..God truly is watching over us all.
As a teacher and coach, I find that school is a place of refuge for the students I work with. Classmates and teams become their place of community and support. Yet as they leave the refuge of school each day, I trust that God will watch over them and keep them safe. Thanks for the post Sheila and for an awesome conference in San Jose.
I am a mother of six and I was a young mother with six kids alone and I knew that I needed Gods help. I lifted each of my babies up to the Lord and asked him to help me rase my children because I knew that I could not rase them alone. The Lord heard my prayers and now my children are adults and have a family of their own and every day I thank the Lord for being there for me all the way and he did not leave me to handle it alone. He is my life and that is where I belong.
I have a 17 year old that is going to be a senior this year and a 12 year old that is in the 7th grade same as your son Christian. It is so hard to let go of our children. It continues to tear at my heart strings when my sons go to camp or like my oldest loves acting and music and went to New York his freshman year in High School, I was a wreck, but he had an experience he will never forget. Letting go and trusting God is very hard when it comes to our children. My youngest is going with a family to the beach for this weekend, this is very hard Lord. I just have to continually pray, I know you love my sons Lord more than I could ever imagine, and you have a plan for them just as you have a plan for me. Lord Thank You that you have made us mothers that love our children. Thank you for giving us children.
God bless your children and all these wonderful Moms.....
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