At the Ready

Sometimes there is nothing I can say or do to help you. Vastly different from the prelude of the season of parenting is where we remain now. Before you’d simply run to me with open arms when you were hurt, weren’t sure of the safety around you or uneasy of emotions that billowed inside. Now I stand here, ready to catch you as you fall, but it seems to me you feel less inclined to share. What stands in your way, baby girl? What keeps you from falling? 

And then, just as the wind changes, with my arms outstretched and tired from the endurance of patience, you land ever so softly. As you get older, you have all the words, but for some reason your silence is the loudest. So for now, in this season, I will stand waiting, even annoyingly nudging you, because this is my calling. My roots are grounded deep so that I can sustain the impact. Saddened is my helping heart not be able to fix everything and make it all better, but blessed is my heart to hold the honor of being the constant sense of safety to you. Constant, unshakeable, and ever present - so you know, you can fell anytime into my arms. As you land, I’ll stroke your strands of hair, listening to the tears and words that have finally spilled. I’ll speak prayers and truths over you, and leading you to an even lighter feeling than I can supply, my dear. 

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This picture hangs inside my cabinet. It was gifted to me years ago amongst papers of “work” but this one struck me different. Each child comes to us differently for supports, but we as parents stand at the ready, which might be more exhausting than the 9-5, but all the more rewarding. Parenting is such a gift, and the child our reward. I don’t always think of it that way, with all the observable investigation pursued without letting them on. If you are in this tween stage, my prayers for you are to remain the constant, and not the fixer. Remain steady and listen. Sweep your cares and worries to your God, husband, or wife, or friend. Be vigilant and ready for the impact. 

If you are still in this early season just as when I received this paper, I encourage you to be that falling space over and over so that you leave a pathway for them once they become independent and quiet. Pray future prayers over them. Tell them who they are becoming. Make that foundation a priority and listening the next. There is no going back, only moving forward. Mean as you go, OR repair now and start afresh. Because the leaves continue falling, and it’s up to us to know when it breaks off and needs comforting.