Letting Them be Who They Are, Part 2

(Ok, I'm writing these in quick succession for a reason.  Part 1 did not unfold the way I had thought it would.  It seemed to take a life of its own, and I'm continuing this for what I had wanted to say in the first place.)

As I said up front, each of my three is vastly different than her sisters, and than me or my husband.  Each is a unique creation crafted lovingly by her Creator for His purposes.

And I have no idea what those purposes ultimately look like!  That's a hard thing to admit.  I have dreams for them, ideas of what I want their lives to be like.  As do they. 

My oldest has ALWAYS wanted to be "something in medicine with people."  Ever since my pregnancy with the second child, and they are only sixteen months apart.  (Let that sink in!)  So, we have explained the human body, how it works, given her medical equipment and models of the body and its organs, skeletons, anatomy and physiology books, and so forth.  She has lots of other things, too, toys, and the like that have nothing to do with medicine or the study thereof.  As a mom, I dream of her finding the cure for something awful, or unlocking the puzzles of the brain like Alzheimer's or Autism, or some other amazing thing.

But maybe that's not God's will for her.  In which case, I need to let go of my dreams for her.  And she may need to let go of HER dreams for herself.  I need to help her be willing to give up those dreams, to lay them at His feet.  And I need to let her be who she is, who God created her to be.

The same goes for my other two.  My middle one wants to be a rancher with a lot of children.  (And we're debating adding chickens to our family for her.)  My youngest has no "plan" yet.  But that's fine.  She has years to discover her strengths and desires before adulthood sets in.

My job is to train them to look to the Lord, to get their calling from Him.  If necessary, to lay down their desires at His feet, to be given something far better (even if it doesn't seem like it at first, or ever from an earthly perspective.)

I also must point them to Christ for His mercy to cover their sins and weaknesses, to change their hearts.  For only He can change their hearts.  I cannot.  I can only influence outward actions on my own.  I must point them to their Creator for their ultimate fulfillment.

For now, I must learn to revel in each girl's uniqueness, to thank God for her, to pray for who He wants her to be, to pray that she trusts Him, and then finds His calling for her life.  And that she do His will willingly, obediently, and joyfully. 

First and foremost, however, I must place my children in His hands.  Ultimately, that's where they rest, anyway.