"Hi mama"

The text simply said two words: "hi mama." When I opened it up on my phone, it was as if I could breath a deep sigh of relief. It was from Sawyer, who has been away at teen camp since Friday. Not that I am one of those parents who stays up all night worrying about how my child is doing when they are not in my presence or anything. Because I am not. But I could tell that Sawyer was a little nervous as the bus pulled away, this being his first time at teen camp. Excited, but nervous. His last words to me as I said my goodbyes were, "mom, I am not so sure about this." I assured him that he was going to have a blast with all of his friends, and that there was nothing to worry about.

Still, I couldn't get those puppy dog eyes out of my head as I pulled away.

Watching your child grow up is one of those things that you will never get quite used to. Sure, there may be times where you find yourself celebrating graduations, engagements, marriages, grandkids, etc, but if you are anything like I am, you will think back to the first day you brought them home. Or the first time they took their first steps. Or the first time they came home talking about falling in love. We delight in seeing our kids grow up but a part of us will always remember them as our babies.

I knew that Sawyer was having these last minute reservations because it was something that he had never done before. Instead of being the big man on campus, he was now the minnow in the sea and that is a scary place to be for the first time. Think of it as kindergarten.  I wish I could have assured him that this would be the only time that he would be nervous about venturing into an unknown place but the truth is that he was just getting started. As he grows into the man that God has created him to be, there will be lots of times where his feet would take him where his mind is unsure of, but that's the beauty of faith, isn't it?

As I ponder this getting old business, I thought about the times that God led me to the edge of uncertainty. How many times had He assured me that everything would be ok if only I would trust him. And how he has proved to me over and over that he knows what is best for my life, and continues to go with me into the unknown and bring me out on the other side refined? The times are too many to count. Each time I take that step of faith, I know that I am being carried on the wings of angels who are under the command of an Almighty Father who is already waiting on the other side. He assures the growth that comes from the step of faith that I must boldly take and is always waiting around when I get to the other side and send him a message much like I received from Sawyer: "Hi daddy."

I realize that I have many friends that are burdened by a step that God wants them to take. Friends, be bold. Don't look back. Seek God first in all things, and He will make your paths straight. You need only to trust him. What will you lose if you never take that step? Maybe nothing. But what will you gain if you do? Perhaps everything.








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