Letting Go

"Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6

A child straddles his/ her shiny new bicycle without training wheels for the first time, as their parent steadies it and holds it upright. As the child starts to pedal, the parent runs along with the new rider, continuing to guide and encourage and then suddenly the parent releases their grasp on the bike. It is with the full knowledge that their beloved child may fall as they learn to ride solo, but there is no choice but to let go, trust the child, and what has been poured into them, calling encouragement,
" YOU ARE DOING AWESOME... I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT...THAT'S IT... SHAKE IT OFF...GET BACK UP..."
We don't want to see the rider fall, we only want them to do well, so it can be tough to let go, but unless we do, the child's development will be thwarted , their growth arrested.
The opportunity and gift of parenthood is an earthly glimpse into what our heavenly Father experiences in the relationship that has existed since Adam between Him and each of us.
We are stewards, not owners, of these prized possessions-they are God's, not ours.
The scriptures tell us we are "beautifully and fearfully made", each one so special, each child is a gift.
We are to remember the Father/Child relationship aspect of our lives in Jesus, how He loves us, and all of the parental experiences we go through with our kids - are reflections of our lives in the Lord.
Parenting is like gardening, it requires diligence and faithfulness; love is the fertilizer. Some seeds take longer to sprout and blossom than others. Gladiola bulbs lie dormant in the ground through long cold winters, but when seasons change and the warmth of the sun falls on them, something suddenly is activated and a common bulb turns into a beautiful plant.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7