Let Go

 

Because I will have a senior, a junior and a freshman in college and a junior in high school this year I have this on my heart. The "letting go" of motherhood begins when they drop your finger and take that first step. They hold their own sippy cup and feed themselves. They tie their own shoes and zip their own coats. And then come all of the firsts-the first night with a babysitter(that you call every 2 minutes)the first day of preschool and the first slumber party and the first swim lesson. Or the first deployment to Kuwait. They wave at you and take your heart as they turn to go. There is joy and grief in the growing. For all of us.

The parenting process is a journey of letting go. You continually HAVE TO loosen the reins. YOU HAVE TO. So they can make those crazy choices and mistakes while they are still in your house. While you can still lovingly advise and correct and forgive. The mistakes just might be the very thing that God will use to make them more like His Son. And we are to get out of God's way and remind ourselves constantly that we have entrusted our children to Him. My children are not mine. They are His.

We affirm again and again that THEY CAN DO IT because THEY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES and we will always be a soft landing when life doesn't go the way they planned.

I will end this through my tears and say that being a mom is one of the greatest blessings of my life. I love you and I am so proud of you Josh, Sarah, Nate and Tim.

PS This was written by a woman who grew up in a very controlling, manipulative home where there was no affirmation and everything I did or said was constantly questioned and condemned. And I made my vows to the children that I would have someday that I would believe in them and be proud of them and always tell them to GO FOR IT!!