True Delight

He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

My daughter Hannah came bouncing through the front door. “Hey, Mom! I’m grabbing my tennis bag and going to practice!”

“Hang on, hon. Just a reminder: You need to finish your last couple of college applications by this weekend. Also, don’t forget you have an orchestra concert tomorrow night and the Habitat for Humanity build on Saturday.”

“Mom, I know. I’ve got it all in my calendar on my phone!” she yelled as she ran upstairs.

Sometimes the push toward college seemed overwhelming. It dawned on me that as hard as I was working to help Hannah build up her college applications, this time with her at home was fleeting. I was forgetting where she was right now and how precious this time with her really was. I realized I was what one of the college reps referred to as a “helicopter parent.”

I prayed, God, instead of thinking of Hannah’s life as a project, help me to enjoy her and to spend this time preparing her heart and soul for life as an adult, trusting that Your plan for her is best.

When Hannah came downstairs, I asked her to meet me for dinner after practice, just the two of us. I said we wouldn’t talk college or schedules; we would just talk. Hannah was excited, and so was I.

The Bible says that God delights in us. We are His children, and He not only cares for us, but He also knows us deeply. We can model God’s love to our children by spending time listening to them, entering into their interests, and sharing their joys and sorrows. Spend a few minutes today with your children and don’t have any sort of agenda. Just do what they enjoy doing or talk about what’s on their minds. Quality time will build your relationships and give your children a sense of your love and interest in who they are.

Rest Assured

God, thank You for intimately knowing and caring for me as Your child. Help me to freely show that love and care to others.

Rest in Him: 1 John 3:1-3