PARTIAL EMPTY NEST <>< Denise Dulaney
PARTIAL EMPTY NEST
My boys are a great part of my life. I love them so much and am very proud of them. Recently, one of them moved into his own place. Sniff, sniff. This was very hard to deal with, as I'm sure it is for a lot of us. I bawled for the first two weeks. Now, only on occasion, when I allow myself to really think about it, do I cry. My other son attends college out of town, but comes home on the weekends.
Neither of them seems to "need" their mom much anymore. Sniff...I am no longer their 24/7 caretaker (even though I try, much to their dismay!). I pray for them everyday, though, and I still worry about them. My greatest hope for them is that they will become mighty men of God.
Alas, I've made many mistakes while raising them. Not enough of this, too much of that. To top that off is the influence of the world. Peer pressure, worldly pressure, pressure from the devil. I’ve got to ask myself, did I do enough? Do they know how to open their eyes/hearts to God and close them to the outside influences that are wrong? All this worry - Aaaaaaah!
I have to tell myself that they are in God's hands. I have to trust that He will guide them and show them His way. I just have to relax and breathe.....
1 John 4:4: “Little children, you are of God, you belong to Him and have already defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist] because He who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.”
Author: Denise Delaney
Nice summary of the trials of being a mother! It seems like sometimes we think we did the best job we could have done - and we did! - but things aren't quite how we would have them be for our kids. However, there's an age at which our children become their own people and are responsible for their own decisions and choices, and we have to let them figure it out. Not that we can't still be there to guide and give our words of wisdom, especially if they're open to that, but however it goes, they're still under the all-seeing eye of their Creator, and He's got it all in hand. Sometimes not the way we'd do it if we had control, but we're not God, so we can just let Him have them.
Nice devotion. Thank you!
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Denise,
I was at the same place with my girls when I had your boys in class. I remember it so well. I had the same questions. But God is faithful to them despite my weaknesses and worries. And He will be to your boys, too. They turned out very well in my opinion! Now I have grandkids and am in prayer for them as the world seems to get more "worldly" with each generation. But, again, I must remember that God is the one in ultimate control. God bless your empty nest days. Thanks for writing about it and for contributing to these devotions.
Growing with you in knowing more of His gracious love daily,
Joyce McClure
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