Back to School - As the Jar Empties
Wow! What an attempt at a live event 😳! Jessi put it perfectly when she said our imperfect bravery would encourage others. Y’all - it’s real - good nights and bad - and through it all He gives us others to say “it’s ok we understand.” Thank you all for your patience and your input tonight! I was encouraged and enjoyed our time together. I do apologize for the dramatic exit 😉.
Some take away moments:
- Pray with and for your tribe
-Ask...Where did you see Jesus today?
-A list of who you are & who you are not
-What‘s your favorite and least favorite?
-What are you doing with the marbles you have left?
-Growing Up Social
Here is the rough copy of notes from tonight that we didn’t get all the way through...
A good friend of mine shared an example….it was by Reggie Joiner…He used a big jar of marbles. Each marble stood for time that you had with your child…for we are only given so much time with them right…. Well depending on how old your child is you may have more marbles left in the jar than your friend or you may have less. As the time goes on the marbles diminish in number. It is pretty tough to think about it but also necessary.
So picture your child is starting pre k and you have to grab a handful of marbles and drop them onto the stage….
OK now you are in elementary school…maybe its two handfuls
Middle school is three…
High school....four…
College…EEEK!!!!
It’s scary to us mamas but also a good reminder that our time is limited and we should make the most of it… However…I see hope in this illustration as well…
When the marbles are taken out they seem to joyfully bounce on the floor, they roll into other environments, they bring joy to the toddler passing by, they have momentum….they don’t just stop. I feel like this is a positive…
When our kids leave our home, like marbles leaving the jar, they run into classrooms joyfully, they go into coursework that leads them into new environments, they have the ability to bring joy to others, they make a difference, they learn…
More importantly, they have the ability to share the love of Christ in their schools, on the athletic fields, and courts. They have momentum!!!! They have your teachings in their hearts and for a moment they have stepped out of our hands and into the hands of their Heavenly Father. The Heavenly Father who has the ability to be present in every step they take and down every hallway they travel.
It is our job to continue to pray for them and also those they encounter as they are out an about. It is our job to lift up the teachers, the administrators, and the coaches. It is our job to lift up their friends and the families of their classmates.
So another plus to this seemingly scary and sometimes emotionally painful process is that as the child is becoming more independent we are also stepping into another place, another piece of the motherhood mission. We begin speaking to our God more…praying more…lifting up the other mamas…as our days may feel emptier why not pour into another and seek the Father in how to do so.
We can see that we have either lost our marbles or we can choose to see that we have sent them out on mission for they get to bring Christ into the schools. They get to be love y’all. In a world where some don’t know the name of Jesus and others have never met him in person – our children have the opportunity to be His face.
Let’s pray for safety in that – for open hearts – and for our Mighty and Powerful God to be so very present with our students, our educators, and in our schools. May He use us to do that as well.
Let’s pray for the broken Mama’s, the lonely Mama’s, and the lost Mama’s… May we be a phone call of encouragement, or a warm hug, maybe a sweet taste of coffee on a seemingly cold morning.
Give us courage to reach out and lift one another up and let us never cease in praying for each other’s children.
For those of us that are hurting and can’t even pray right now…for those of us that feel lost, for those of us who are feeling fear and anxiety I ask that you cast it out! We know you cast the demons out – We know you provide safety. We know you hear our prayers even when there are no words and we know you can provide peace.
Help us keep you as our focus and help us to remind each other of this when we have hard days.
Father we love you! After all…you know what we must feel…you sent your very own son…and you sent him for us…..not to achieve a higher education but to endure and suffer - to free us from our sins….We are so grateful Lord. Please forgive our fear and doubts. Help us to trust you with our sons and daughters and help them to know you Lord. ~Amen