How Great is Our God

While on my way to a friend's house last night, I was struck by the splendour and majesty of our Great God.  Look at this gorgeous sunset He created.  A photo can't capture it in its full beauty.

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualitites - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." ~ Romans 1:20

How Great is Our God, indeed.

Little Good-Byes

I have read tons of blog posts that talk about motherhood as a series of good-byes.  This one in particular, by my friend, Sarah, speaks to my heart. 

I had my own good-bye moment this morning with my oldest son, who just started grade four.  I am typically a very over-protective mother, and I have to work really hard at allowing my kids to step out on their own. If I had my way, my kids would always be with me and I would do everything for them!  (I don't do this, but I would if I could!)  I know in my head that it is the best thing for them to gain independence and confidence to do their own thing and leave the nest.  This summer, in particular, has been about letting go.  Adam has gotten very good at riding his bike, and he has a friend who lives down the road from us.  All summer, they have been biking around the neighbourhood and going to the park and playing together.  This is relatively safe, in my opinion, because we live in a quiet cul-de-sac with not a lot of traffic.

Well, Adam has been begging to ride his bike to school, which would be all well and good for me except that he has to cross a busy intersection on a main road in town to get there.  We have done practice runs together, allowing him to ride ahead of us and show us what he would do on his own and how he would cross the busy street.  We practiced locking his bike up once he got to school.  He is ready.  Unfortunately, I'm not!

Well, today was the day.  We told him last night that he could ride to school today by himself.  He was so excited!  Then late last night a news report came out about a young child in our town who had been hit by a car crossing the street at his school yesterday.  The crossing lights were flashing, the child had the right-of-way; he did everything the way he was supposed to.  Unfortunately, the woman driving the car did not.  She was going too fast through a school zone, she wasn't paying attention and she hit this small boy, who fortunately is still alive and recovering.

Of course, this drove me into panic mode as a mama.  But I wasn't about to deprive my boy the joy of being independent because of my fears.  We had a good talk this morning about making eye contact with the drivers of cars before he crossed the street and making sure he was paying attention to the vehicles to see what they were doing.

And off he went (with me praying the whole time!).  I walked his little brother to school several blocks behind him, so I could see how he was doing.  And he was a champ.  He walked his bike across all the streets.  He paid attention at the busy intersection.  He arrived to school safely and locked his bike up like a pro.

Still, it's hard to let go and allow my kids to grow up.  I know my job as a parent is to prepare my kids to not need me anymore, and this involves a series of small good-byes and letting go little by little.  How else will we have strong, independent, confident children who grow into strong, independent, confident adults?  These kids are on loan to me for a little while.  God has entrusted them into my care for a brief moment.  It is my job to train them up in the way they should go and leave them in God's hands and trust Him with them.