Through the Window

photo © 2011 Rob Wall | more info (via: Wylio)
Each morning, Ellie bundles up in her coat and adds a backpack. We sit at the bottom of the stairs, hold hands and pray. Then I send her out the door.

I watch her walk-skip down the driveway. She seems so tiny. She thinks she's big. At the road, she checks for traffic, then walks two doors down and across the street to the bus stop. She is way too cool to have mom walk with her.

Instead, I watch through the window. The kids goof off. Sometimes they play tag. Mostly, they talk -- Ellie's arms fly with grand gestures. The bus arrives, tires squeal to a stop. Red lights flash. The kids line up single file and proceed to the bus. Usually, Ellie looks to the window and waves good-bye. Sometimes she forgets. Sometimes she shouts, "Bye, Mom." I always open the window, just in case.

Once in a while, she doesn't check for traffic before she crosses the road to her friends. She sees the fun and forgets about safety. When that happens, my heart plunges into my gut. Please, please, please, God, get her across the road safely. After school, I review the safety rules with her. It's only happened three times, but I take it seriously. She doesn't seem concerned, casually replying, "Okay, Mom. I'll remember." And she does. At least for a while.

Watching her this morning (she followed all the rules and even treated me to a shout-out), God showed me that He feels much the same about me. Just as I wait for my daughter's wave and good-bye, God waits. For my prayer. For my acknowledgement. For my love. Holding his breath. Wondering. Will she remember that I AM here? Loving, watching, protecting, encouraging. Or will she tackle the world her own way? Forgetting that she needs Me?

He watches, right there as I step out in life. He wants me to reach my destination even more than I do. When I forget my purpose, His Spirit nudges me. And, much like my daughter, I tend to say, casually, "Okay, God. I know. I'll remember." And I do. At least for a while.

Dear God, It's me. Karen. I love You!