Be Careful!

As mothers, we want our children to be happy, and when the simplest of pleasures make them so, we tend to edge up to that line of "What were you thinking!?!?"

My brush against that line was when we sold our home in Tulsa.  The week before we were to move we discovered bicycles on sale. Our new home was on a dead end street, as yet undeveloped, and not likely to be for months at the least.  A great place for our children to learn how best to control their bicycles. They were 5, 6 and 8 and had ridden bicycles before, but didn't have their own. Excellent pricing, so we bought each of our three children one.

They were not supposed to ride them until our move -- into a quiet neighborhood without traffic except known neighbors. I think rule lasted two or three days.  They begged, and pleaded, and I gave in with a mother's best command, "Be careful."

The screech of brakes brought me to the picture window as Son's bike lay on the ground, with him, in front of a car. By the time I reached him, neighbors had him wrapped in a blanket and an ambulance had been called.  I was frightened beyond understanding that he really was in good shape.

Fortunately, he had a bump on his noggin and a couple of bruises, the driver calmed down and lowered her blood pressure, and the bike was fixable.

A couple of decades later he was out on his own, far beyond a mother's "Be careful!"  I was more concerned about his soul.  He was open about the fact that religion was not as important to him as he thought it was to us.  We made many efforts to explain that it wasn’t ‘religion’, but our personal relationship with our Lord that made the difference.  Whether or not we failed, the ultimate responsibility was his.  This wasn’t something we could do for him.  The decision was his.  I placed him, in prayer, in God’s hands.

No until his 40th decade did I get the call that he now understood, and the rest of the family rejoiced with him and attended his baptism. I cannot explain to the unbelievers the mother’s relief, and the Christians understand.  We rejoiced.

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:7 KJV)

I had prayed, holding to the words of Solomon:

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6 KJV)

Knowing scriptures were given for our comfort:

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4 KJV)

When we’re working toward the same end, the home coming a 100th lamb being the desire of our hearts, we believe:

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (Psalms 37:4 KJV)

He did.  And I shall enjoy the company of my children through eternity.