THERE YOU ARE!

  I knew I had one in there, just couldn’t find it. The flax was drowning you out!

  I was cleaning out one of my flower beds the other day and knew that somewhere in this jungle there used to be a princess spirea shrub.

  We had some work done in that area, so I had to let it be; the new grass had to get established. But, it was time for an overhaul. The flax had made themselves right at home.

  I started to weed this mess away, knew that there was a spirea in there somewhere. After some weeding and pruning I found my “little spirea shrub”.  The flax had smothered my poor shrub.

  Then it hit me, that little shrub reminded me of our daughter.

  Mom is having a hard time realizing that in about a year’s time our “baby” will be going off to school somewhere. Naturally, I just want to keep her here where I can take care of her and protect her, even to make sure she takes time to eat right.

So I may be giving some of you a call next fall, to those that have gone through this before. We have enjoyed our daughter’s time with us. She has been such a gift to our home.

  Life is full of stages, some easier than others. Those sleepless first few years seems just like yesterday; yet at the time like it would never end. The first day she took those big steps of the school bus, first sleepover. All the fun planning her birthday parties, grade 8 graduation, to a beautiful young woman. I am such a blessed mom.

  This mom also realizes that my stage now is to prepare to let go. I don’t want to be like the flax and smother her. My prayer for her is that she will allow God to use her. She has so many talents and such a great personality. She leaves her touch on everything she does.

  And, if I want her to allow God to use her, then I also have to allow God to use her.

  If I allow my natural instinct to smother and keep her with me, then she will never reach her full potential.

  Motherhood is such a complicated job; we carry, bring forth, nurture, and then have to let them go. The day we bring them home we start preparing them to grow their wings and fly.

  I think of Hannah how she prayed for a child, how she yearned for one, and then made a vow to God that she would give her baby back to God.

  We see this story unfold in 1 Samuel chapter 1 and 2. Hannah poured out to God expecting God to answer her prayers and God blessed her with Samuel. I also prayed and poured out to God for our daughter, after losing one and thinking that we would not be able to have anymore.

  After Hannah had Samuel, she didn’t forget her vow to God. She gave her “baby” back to God, to do the work the Lord had called him to. We also gave our daughter back to God at her dedication service. We made a vow as well. We have loved on her, enjoyed her being a part of our home, and now it’s time to let her spread her wings and fly (in a year). I know God has a great plan for her life and what a blessing it will be to watch as her story unfolds. And I am sure it wasn’t all that easy for Hannah to leave her child, after waiting and praying for him.

  “Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him.” Psalm 127:3

  Blessings,