Protecting my kids from the big, bad world

Bloggy friends,
Do you sometimes find yourself trying to protect your kids from the bad things out there? I do. When the neighborhood kids play and it turns into a brawl (a typical boy thing, for sure), I want to don my red cape and run outside to swoop up my kids and return them to the safety of our home. When my youngest is taken advantage of by the older kids (a big issue during the silly bands era), I want to throttle a few older kids for being so predatory! (Don't worry, neighbors, I know it's just a kid thing...)

Do your kids ask to take dance, art, and/or music classes? Do they ask to play soccer, football, and baseball? Do you wonder how you'll ever survive their schedules? Especially when you have work, grocery shopping, bill paying and house cleaning to do, too? Really, that mini-van or XUV needs that TAXI sign on top!

The 21st century offers kids more opportunities to do. Of course, all that doing can lead to some tough "mama bear" moments -- what do you mean she didn't make the lead in the musical? But she has studied voice since she was four. She's the most talented kid in the whole school. Arrrrgggghhhh.

Is this the kind of hurt and stress God wants us to carry, though? Is this really His plan for parenting?

Of course, you know I'm about to say I don't think so.

Looking back - way back - to around 2050 B.C. (that's about 4160 years ago), Abraham faced a huge parenting dilemma with his son, Isaac. It wasn't that Abraham was trying to protect Isaac from neighborhood bullies. He wasn't juggling Isaac's crazy after-school schedule around his own job of leading the Hebrew nation.

God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Yep. (If you're not familiar with their story, you can read it here.) God asked him to sacrifice his one and only son. The child he wanted for close to 100 years. The child he thought he and Sarah could never have. God gave Isaac to Abraham and Sarah, then told them to give him up. That's a bit tougher than juggling schedules. In the end, of course, God sends a ram to take Isaac's place. Abraham, though willing, never had to do the unthinkable.

What does this story have to do with us today?

I'm not a Bible expert. I'm just a lady who reads her Bible, asking God to reveal His truth. When I read this familiar scene again this morning, I sensed God saying, "You'll never love your kids as much as I do." But I know that, God. But, do I, really?

When my kids ask to join this, that or the other, do I try to figure out how to fit it in? Often. Do I pray first, asking God if it should be fit in? Not so often.

When my kids' feelings get hurt by other kids, do I assume that the other kids did something wrong? Usually. Am I right? Not all the time. Do I ask God for wisdom in the situation to help my kids grow in love, compassion or kindness? Not very often.

When my sons forget to text me that they arrived somewhere safely or I can't get them by phone, does my mind jump to horrors unspeakable? More than I want to admit. Do I pray for peace when my mind starts to wander and protection for my kids if they need it? Rarely. More often I wonder whether I should call their friends' parents yet or wait a few minutes before calling 9-1-1.

Abraham didn't share my struggles. God said, take your son up on that mountain and sacrifice him. Abraham packed. Abraham went. Abraham, no doubt trembling with love for his son, did as God asked. Why?

Abraham loved God first. Abraham trusted God with his son's life. He trusted God with his own life too. (Seriously, how could he have endured the pain of sacrificing Isaac? or Sarah's pain when he came home without Isaac?) Abraham didn't get everything right in his life, but when it came to raising Isaac, he understood, God loved his son more than Abraham ever could.

I'm learning to pray for my kids in a deeper way. I pray that they'll find comfort in God no matter what happens in their day. I pray that God will watch over them. I ask God to remove my fears. And when there are so many good things out there to do, our whole family is learning to ask God which fit his plans. And which do not.

God loves my kids more than I ever can. I'm learning to trust Him with the details of their lives. Sometimes, at least.