The Ride

This past Saturday I was all set to go on a 25 mile ride with my husband and our friend. But then I realized that Briana had her last football game of the season to cheer for and I had to take her. So I canceled on my husband. Then on Saturday morning we had a little issue with Briana’s behavior and for punishment she would not be cheering or going to the end of the season party. Harsh I know. This parenting thing is hard! You know, actually giving consequences that you stick to. Even though I would much rather have taken her to the game and watched her cheer. I felt bad. I hated that she was missing such an important day. My Mom thinks I am too hard on her. But I am her parent and I have to parent. Briana needed to understand that we have certain standards that we hold her to. Love, Honesty, Compassion- these are some of the things we hold dear and want to teach instill in our kids.
I decided to go on this bike ride after all. I really needed to let Briana have some time away from me. She needed time to process and think about things.
So the ride- was not actually 25 miles, more like 28..It was an extremely hard ride, on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Full of loooong…steep hills. I even had to get off and walk a bit up one on about the 15 mile mark. I really started praying hard around mile 17…”Lord please help give me the strength to finish this ride” “please don’t let me wimp out”. My legs were turning to rubber and my lungs were burning… Memory verses came to mind: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…and then the songs started flooding in….”Lord to give up I’d be a fool, you are my all in all” (you know it!) I also had my friend there cheering me on. “You are doing great!, You can make it!” What would you know!? I finished the ride. I set out with one goal in mind, not really sure I could make it on my own and I didn’t have to! My Lord was there with me with one hand on my back guiding me down that road and I made it to the end. It sure didn’t hurt to have a friend along on this ride.
Its really the same thing with parenting, he is there with me guiding me, showing me what to do next. I just have to be willing to listen and let Him lead. And when I do, the results are always staggering.
When I got home Briana threw her arms around me, asked how our ride was and apologized for her not-so-good choice. Of course I forgave her, her “punishment” was already over and I don’t have to bring it up again.
My most important goal as a parent is to help my children to have a relationship with God. Don’t get me wrong, I want them to make good grades, be good athletes, have good friends but if I do not have the ultimate goal for them to know Christ, they will be lost forever. And my life will have been spent in vain. Eternal life with Christ is the goal!!
This ride we call life has its ups and downs. Sometimes you even have to get off and walk a while. But you get back up and finish the ride. As long as you have your eyes set on the goal, there is something to work for, to train for, to ask others along with you. And God will be right there with His hand on you, guiding you along.
All Glory to God!