Relinquishing Control......

Not much new going on at our house today. And since I whined a lot in my last post, I thought I should be a bit more "spiritual" in this post. After all, I am a pastor's wife!

Another astonishing admission: I enjoy having control. I am a perfectionist and having control means that things get done my way, in my time. Since I can't control other peoples' inept lack of perfectionism (!), the least I can do is take control and make sure that everything is done "right".

Seriously though, I have been thinking a lot the past few days about how little control I truly have over my children. I can do everything I *think* is right. Teach them all the right Bible verses and stories, protect them from harmful music and movies, even make sure they always eat free-range chicken (gotta watch those hormones!) and never, ever eat anything containing Red Dye #40 (at which I've already failed miserably. Remember those fruit snacks that our dentist loves?) But, in the end, my kids have their own free wills and all I can do is pray that all that we've tried to teach them will stick somehow, somewhere and that, in the end, they will choose Christ (and organic foods!)

Thankfully, I know that God loves my kids more than I could ever begin to and His plan, even though it will include mistakes of their own making along the way, is truly best. We have a book that I have referred to many times in the past ten years or so since I got it. It's called "Praying the Bible for Your Children" by David and Heather Kopp, and I highly recommend it. In light of my musings the past couple days, this particular prayer is very meaningful.

Heavenly Father,

How great and mysterious are your ways! You ask us to trust you with that which we love most. How did Moses' mother do it? How did she let her baby go (Exodus 2:2-3), knowing so many things could go wrong?

The dangers my children face today are very different, Lord, and yet just as real. Drugs, strangers, accidents, gangs--even babysitters and friends!

Thank you that even when my children are out of my sight, they are never out of Your sight. Please watch over them in all they do and through every encounter they have with the world.

Thank you that I can surrender my children and place them in the dangerous "river" of life, knowing that You will be watching over them, not from far off but from very nearby.

Amen

Maybe, just maybe, one of the best gifts I can give my kids is realizing that they are KIDS and they aren't and never will be perfect. Once again, it's all about me relinquishing control and trusting God--with everything--but most importantly my most precious possessions.