Has anyone ever told you
that your job as a parent
is to give your Loves
roots and then give them wings?
That is such a beautiful phrase. I love it. There is something about that line that creates such an image of beauty and strength coupled together. And what a dichotomy! Such different words.
Roots, wings.
The nature of roots makes us think of an earthy, gritty, life-source, sustaining and supporting foundation. The essence of wings calls to mind flight, self-supporting strength, beauty, resourcefulness and gracefulness. It seems to me there may be a connection between the two.
The symbolism can’t be dismissed.
Parenting.
The word alone can intimidate you. In one moment, you may go from feeling completely in control, to feeling utterly out of control in seconds. You might be on track and feeling successful one moment, but in a split second you realize everything is not as it appears. You often lack sleep; you just may find your interests and passions intertwine or collide with late night talks full of tears and reassuring hugs. It’s not an easy world in which to raise children. You exhaust yourself by always being diligent and on guard. If you’re wise, you realize you need divine help in taking these Loves from birth to flight. And you don’t get a whole heck of a lot of time to accomplish it. A mom further down the road than me offered this valuable piece of wisdom when my oldest was barely two…..the days are long, but the years are short. On many occasions, this helped me keep my perspective and make wiser decisions.
There are so many joys in parenting.
One of my all time favorites is watching my Loves find their passions and dream big dreams. There’s nothing like the “I love you” or “Thanks, mom” that comes from hearts genuine with feeling. Watching your Loves learn from their mistakes, and trying their best not to repeat the same mistake…..whether they do or not, to see the effort to learn is what matters. Knowing your kids are making the right choices along the way–when choosing the wrong would have been so much easier–brings so much joy. Gooey kisses and slobbery hugs go a long way to making parenting easier.
I am focusing over the next two weeks on the topic entitled “Roots and Wings”. Almost 20 years into this parenting gig (that’s a LOT of toddler and preschooler years!), and I often say to my kiddos, “This isn’t my first rodeo.” I really like to remind them of this. Especially when they think they have a new take on a particularly time-worn lesson. My Honey will often remind me, to my chagrin, he isn’t a first-time parent. I haven’t experienced it all, by any means, and I’m sure my other two at home have some surprises for me along the way!
Here are a couple things I have learned along the way.
Whether you were parented well or not does not determine your parenting ability.
I also know God gave you those particular children because you have what it takes to get them from nest to flight.
There is such beauty in parenting.There is loads of grace for it too.
God does not leave us unequipped for the job he gives us.
We just have to look for his hand and be open to his guidance. God says, “I got you!”
He will give you every good thing you need to bring your children up to be what he intends for them to be. He will give you the grace to do all he has called you to do.
Whether that is
parenting + an outside career
or
staying at home full time + pursuing passions that fuel you,
he knows exactly how he formed you and is working to bring out the gifts he placed within you.
I would love for you to join me on this journey. I look forward to sharing a few things I have learned along the way. I believe God can give you just what you need. I don’t know exactly what that is, but he does. Let’s meet together and see what He has to say!
Amberly reynolds 