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Saturday night, we got a phone call no parent wants to receive. Our daughter had just left our house to return to her college apartment. When we said our goodbyes, my mothering instincts kicked in, and I reminded her to be extra careful and watch out for drunk drivers. My heart sank when her name popped up on caller ID a half-hour later, and I knew something was wrong. She was crying and said, “I’m all right, but I’ve been in a car accident.” Both relief and panic set in simultaneously, and we rushed out the door to get her. 

We learned what had happened when we reached the accident scene. Another driver (probably drunk, but who fled the scene) had sped up behind her and hit her back right bumper, sending her Volvo convertible into a tailspin down I-10. When her car stopped spinning, she faced oncoming traffic, and a semi-truck was barreling her way. She jumped out of her vehicle to cross the other traffic lanes and safely reached the shoulder. Thankfully, the semi-truck could change lanes and avoid a subsequent hit to her car. The whole thing was over in seconds, but four days later, I’m still trying to come to grips with it

The Paradox of Holding On and Letting Go

You can imagine all the ‘what if’ scenarios that have played through my mind since Saturday night. Any number of factors could have changed the outcome of our story from a close call to a tragedy. The more I think about it, the more uneasy and thankful I become.

Since the accident, my husband and I have joked that she should move home and do homeschool-college. Why isn’t that more of a thing? She could stay here, and we could keep her safe. Even though we love having her home, we know letting go is part of the natural course of growing up.From the moment our babies leave the safety and protection of the womb, we are literally and figuratively pushing them out. They can’t stay in the nest forever, bringing us joy and sorrow. Isn’t this the paradox of parenting? The more we want to hold on to them, the more we have to keep letting them go, little by little.

We Like to Think We’re In Control

My phone has a feature that pulls up a series of photos from this week in years past. They remind me of chubby cheeks, messy diapers, and what seemed like a season when I had more control. Back then, I wasn’t worried about drunk drivers, active shooters, or perps in the bushes. It’s easy for me to become nostalgic and forget that even when I controlled more of their environment, I was often at my wit’s end as to how to control them.

And therein lies the problem with our control issues. We like to think we have some measure of control over our children’s lives, but when the drunk driver hits them on the freeway, we’re reminded how little control we really have.I’d like to believe that as their mother, with their best interests at heart, I know what’s best for my kids. What’s best for them is to always get safely from point A to point B. I’d be perfectly happy bypassing these too-close-for-comfort reminders that I am not in control. 

Finding Rest in Our Dependence 

We don’t like the uncertainty of placing our lives and survival in others’ hands. There are too many factors outside of our control. But when the disciples asked Jesus who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, his answer was the opposite of what they expected. They probably expected him to say the greats would be the ones who’d cast out demons in his name or did other great feats for God. But Jesus put a child in their midst and said,

“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 18:3-4

Children may try to assert their control, but they depend completely on their parents for survival. And that’s how we are to be as God’s children. We may be adults, but spiritually, we must become like children. Greatness isn’t found in our perceived self-sufficiency but in our utter and complete dependence on the Father. 

Is Safety Ultimate?

I admit that I’m not very good at this letting-go business. I’m about to get even more practice in the fall when our son heads off to college. Writing those words hurts my heart. I should be happy that he’ll only be 45 minutes away; he’s walking with the Lord and feels a call on his life. All those things make me happy and proud, but he won’t be here, and I don’t know how I’ll bear it when that day comes.  

How will they get stronger if they don’t take risks and venture out of the nest? How will I get stronger if I don’t exercise my faith and trust God to protect those I love most? 

God’s In Control

Maybe Dory in Finding Nemo said it best when she remarked on Marlin’s control issues over Nemo’s safety. “You can’t never let anything happen to him then nothing would ever happen to him. Not much fun for little Harpo.” 

We laugh because we all know this is true. As parents, we constantly balance our God-given instincts to protect them with our need to grow in our trust of God to help us let them go. How does this work, and what should it look like in our everyday lives? I honestly don’t know.

One thing I do know is that the older I get, the more dependent I am on God’s grace to do just about everything.

So we keep praying for them, we keep trusting God to protect them as only he can, and we keep checking for drunk drivers on I-10. It’s a wild world out there. How good it is to be a child of the Father who’s in control of it all. 

Depending on him,

Cara   

P.S. I’ve made my Paths of the Righteous e-book free for download. It will encourage you in your path of life, to trust the Good Shepherd like many saints of old. Enjoy!