When we planted our young lilac tree in the front yard, I decided to stake it to a long piece of wood. I remember standing in the garden with my dad who warned me that if I used rope or wire to stake the tree I could potentially damage the tender trunk. So I got creative, ran into the house and pulled out a pair of my old pantyhose. The pantyhose were flexible enough to allow the tree to sway while giving it strength.
I’m sitting by the window now and I see that the two are still tied together. The little tree has grown quite a bit over the past few years and has recently bloomed once again. Tucked safely within its branches, I see a little hummingbird nest not much bigger than a golf ball.
Looking at the grace and poise of that young tree, I’m reminded of my children who are growing before me in strength and virtue. Young trees that sway in the wind; we’re the stakes–my husband and I–that keep a firm but flexible hold on their lives until they are rooted and grounded in faith. Little by little our need to shield and protect lessens, but my desire to pray for them never wanes.
Parenting is a form of protection. In the early stages of growth we need to cover that plant at times to shield it from heavy wind and frost. We can do this in two ways; the first is by praying for them daily, asking God to watch over and protect them. And the second way is by being involved in their lives so that we know who their friends are, what their interests are, what TV programs they’re watching and what they’re exposed to on the internet. By being involved in their lives we keep the lines of communication open, and by seeing their exposure to the world, we can shield them from danger. While they are growing and until each one is firmly rooted in soil we must give them needed protection.
The home should be a self-contained shelter of security;
a kind of school where life’s basic lessons are taught;
and a kind of church where God is honored”
~ Billy Graham, “My Answer”
a kind of school where life’s basic lessons are taught;
and a kind of church where God is honored”
~ Billy Graham, “My Answer”
My goal is to cultivate a healthy root within each one of my children that is grounded in faith. But in order to do that I have to teach them to focus less on the leaves that soon fall to the ground and more on a soul that takes root in the Lord.
You are loved by an almighty God,
Darlene
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