We weren’t often in a jewelry store, especially one as fancy as this one was and, what we left with has been completely lost to time. What I do remember is what happened while my big brother was about to fill out the paperwork required. The salesman handed him a small order form in triplicate – white over yellow over pink pages. The last for us, the top two for them.  As my brother took the pen to begin, the salesman told him to write hard. 

“H A R D,” the four letters neatly printed on the top line were all it took for Mom, the salesman and I to burst into laughter. Not HARD we explained, write hard so the print goes through to the last page of copy!  It seemed my brother had missed the point. 

I thought about that today as I talked to my son before he left for school. I hoped he got the point of what I was saying. As parents, you hope and pray that your kids do what you’ve raised them to do, but there is no guarantee. There is the hope that if you, “train up a child in the way he should go…when he is old he will not depart from it.“(Proverbs 22:6) I thought about that and noted that the proverb does not say, and he will do the right thing for the rest of his days – it says “and when he is old.” I wondered then if that meant that in the end, he’d come around or after a time of trying other things, he’d be back. 

I remember my rebelliousness and I’m sure I drove my mother to her knees in prayer countless times. As my own children get older, I think about all the times she must have blanketed me with prayer.

It’s hard to let your child go out into the world and make their own mistakes. We want so much to shield and protect them, but they have to make their own way. They have to choose for themselves which path to follow. Our own parental anxiety pales in comparison to what God must feel for us – God – who knows everything – what was and is and will be.

All we can do is show our children the path and pray that they will choose God to help them find their way back to it no matter how many times they slip off. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  God is faithful, and  he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 But  the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against  the evil one.

Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;  his mercies never come to an end; they are new  every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God  who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,