Middle School Already?

This morning at 4:30 am my son Zach woke me by whispering quietly, "Mom are you awake?" Well, no, not awake but somehow I ended up awake, and in my waking managed to scare myself half to death and spastically throw my arms out slapping him upside the head at the same time. It was one of those waking up moments that startles you and startles them and then everyone is startled and upset. Not pretty, especially not at 4:30am.

But that's not what I really wanted to talk about this morning...even though it was sort of a rude awakening things turned around quickly. I tylenoled him, crawled into his bed with him, hugged him and whispered in his ear how much God loved him, how he was going to do so great at school, how he had nothing to be afraid of since God had already gone before him charting his path, and would definitely come behind him making sure he was hemmed in on all sides. We stayed snuggled up like that for awhile, with me quietly praying over him as I listened to the sound of his breath even out signaling to me that he was peacefully back to sleep.

Eventually I left him and found my way back to my own bed again, my thoughts wandering over the memories of past school years and the excitement over the first day. And then I thought of Psalm 139 and how the same words I spoke and prayed over Zach also applied to me. I was reminded that not only does Jesus know every single thing about me, he also has charted a course for me, and promises to cover me all the time. There is no place on this earth that will ever separate me from God. Just like I believe that with all my heart for my children, I choose to believe the same thing applies to me and every other believer. We are always in the presence of the Lord, all the time.

Psalm 139 says, "You hem me in behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me, such knowledge is to wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." So as much as I can't completely comprehend the truth in this statement, I choose to believe and trust that it is truth, and will hold onto it as such. I will wait for Zach and Kayla to come home from their first day of middle school knowing their path has been set before them, trusting that every aspect of their time has been charted by a loving and mighty God.

A brand new school, a brand new schedule, probably new friends, definitely new teachers and a whole new adventure awaits them...I'm okay with that because I know they are covered all the time, every single day by a God who loves them way more than I can ever begin to imagine.