Happy Birthday, Maggie!

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11 ESV).

Just a few days ago we celebrated our oldest granddaughter’s birthday. Today we celebrate the third birthday of our next oldest, Maggie. I was taken to the prophet Isaiah for our reading today. I went back into my picture files and found one taken this summer when we went to eat in Ft. Worth, Texas. We sat outside on the patio with the Trinity River flowing by in the background. It was a very pleasant summer day for our area. After we finished our meal, Maggie said, “Ride the cow, Pee Paw.” Well, you certainly know what happened next. I took her to the life size cow and hoisted her aboard. She was delighted! There’s something wonderful about getting to see her so often now as we are geographically so close. It has also become something of a problem in that she has come to believe that Pee Paw can fix or do anything. Recently she defiantly began tearing pages from one of her books. David and Becca corrected her to her retort, “That’s OK. Pee Paw will fix it.” That reminded me of something very important. Through the years I have tried to practice an important principle. I need to guard against being God in their lives. I cannot write their stories. I cannot set the course for their future. I want to prevent them from every being hurt. I want to be the one to set anyone straight who messes with my kids. We cannot do that. Well, let me give you a few of the commitments I work at following in my relationship with the kids. It can be summed up with one word: prayer. Let me suggest five specific things you can pray for your children and grandchildren: Pray that they will learn early in life that to obey their parents and God is the best way to the life they truly desires (cf. 1 Samuel 15:22). Pray that they may find comfort in God’s to reach her, hold her and rescue her (cf. 2 Samuel 22:17-18). Pray that they will find confidence in God, even when hard times come and they don’t know what to do (cf. 2 Chronicles 20:12). Pray that they may keep themselves under control and not give full vent to people and situations that anger her (cf. Proverbs 29:11). Pray that their journey will be made walk in the security of God’s assigned worth to them. Yes, prayer is the only possibility with real possibility. And that brings me to the place where I can finally say ... "Hello, my name is Mom. Not God." Happy Birthday, Maggie! I hope to live up to these commitments and more as you grow!