Yep, Just Like That

Many parents are very protective of their children, no matter the age. They have a difficult time letting them grow up. I’m one of those parents often to my children’s annoyance. But God is teaching me.

Last week, Coryn who had been looking for a job, said to me “Dad, I found a summer job in Colorado, it’s at a camp” Cool I thought, nothing more, as the last thing I was thinking was “yeah, I’m going to send you to Colorado all summer by yourself, to a camp where I have little or no contact.”  Around the same time, my other daughter Esther says, “hey dad, I signed up on an Au Pair website.” “what is that” I asked,  “its brings together people to care for their children in their private home in exchange for a small stipend and room and board so I can travel this summer. I’m looking at Europe.”  Sure I thought, “Like I’m going to send you to Europe to some stranger’s home for the summer.”

So yesterday, I am on Expedia, buying two tickets, one to Colorado & another to Spain. Coryn leaves Saturday and Esther leaves Tuesday. How do things like this happen? Am I not in control? Did I get talked into this? Well of course not. As many of you who have read some of my blogs know, I really believe God is in control of all aspects of our lives, (although my faith does get tested quite a bit and often I fail miserably ). I did say “all”, to the tiniest detail. Just how much? Let me share an example of how He works.

I have family in Colorado, we visited briefly in 1996, Coryn was 4. What could she remember now that she is 19? I’m not sure but for years, she has been saying, “I want to go to Colorado.” When I get older, I’m going to live in Colorado.”  For the past few weeks, she has been looking for a job, without much success. So out of the blue she finds this position at camp Redcloud, a Christian adventure camp. She fills out an application, just for the heck of it, with no real expectations and gets a call. Well to make a long story short, she is offered a position of host, which is to work with families who arrive weekly at the camp for a week of hiking, horseback riding, rafting and other adventures. All this and worship time along with great Christian speakers for the next 12 weeks. Then to just make it easier on poor ole dad, it’s a camp that is about 90 minutes from family, which not only gives me peace of mind, but my cousin Jorge who has spent time at this camp has offered to pick her up a couple of times for weekend visits at his home. So God says to me – “send her” it’s what I want. So off she goes.

Now Esther, that’s a tougher one, at least for me but not for God. How could I encourage my daughter who want to go across an ocean, to live God knows where with God knows who all summer?  Well, those of you who know Esther, you know one thing. She has great faith and much confidence in God’s leading. She loves to travel and by the young age of 21, God has taken her to Samoa, England, France, Italy, & Spain. Barbara and I both had a hard time just getting out of East L.A. But we serve a very big God and Esther has much faith in Him. So anyways, not only does she find what seems like a great opportunity, but of all the places she could go, the one that becomes available is in Valencia, Spain, where she just happened to be last summer and built a small network of friends with whom she has maintained contact.  They are eagerly expecting her and are even planning on having her stay an extra week just to spend time with her. So God says to me – “send her” it’s what I want. So off she goes.

I am excited for them, and am thankful that God has granted them these opportunities. I know that as long as they continue to follow Him, He will continue to direct their paths. I just need to learn to get out of His way. I need to let God be God and step aside, if that is what He wants.

Mama

As mother day approaches, I thought I would say a few things about moms. Years ago for many of us, our moms stayed home and watched and waited hand over foot on their brood. Summers meant breakfast, cartoons, snack, play, lunch, play, snack, ride bikes, dinner and TV. Through it all mom was there to cater to all our desires.  But this is not about working or career moms or the virtues of stay at home moms. It’s just about moms and why they do what they do.  It is about why we went to mom when we scraped our knee instead of dad. Why restaurants are packed on mother’s day yet on father’s day we opt for hotdogs.

My daughter Esther is extremely creative. She writes (read her blog here - http://esthermcarrera.blogspot.com/), she sews, she crafts, she’s an amateur photographer and in six months she will be an honest to goodness professional pastry chef.  Yet with all the things she does, nothing tugs at her heart more than children. One day she hopes to be a mom. (And that husband, better be right, cause there is no better catch).  As I write this blog she is looking to be an Au Pair for the summer - hopefully somewhere in Europe, all this to satisfy her desire to nurture and travel.  Why?

Growing up, I knew of not a single guy, who said to me,” I just want to be a dad.” Yet girls dream of it from a very young age. They hold dolls as boys blow things up. They push strollers as boys push each other. As we grow, our mothers continue to “mother” us. Hungry? Visit mom. Need encouragement? Visit mom. Want advice? Visit mom. Want someone to tell you, I told you so? Visit DAD!  I try to call my mom a couple of times a week. Sometimes my dad answers the phone; he says a few words and then says, “Here’s your mother.”  You see everyone knows that mom will always have some time for her kids, she will ask the right questions, will always encourage, and fight like a bear for you.

So it’s really quite simple, moms love is demonstrated by action which most of us witness day in and day out. They told us, that they loved us, but most importantly they showed us that they did.  Now not to discount dads, but for the most part, dads show their love by providing for us. Unfortunately, that provision often times channels itself through mom. So unless dad makes a conscious effort with his children, it’s easy for him to stay in the background, hence the hotdogs. (More on this in my upcoming father’s day blog).

Remember mom this weekend, someday she won’t be around and all you’ll have is your memories of her.

Be blessed