Created to Soar - Encouragement Café - June 13, 2017

Created to Soar
By Stephanie Shott
Tuesday, June 13, 2017

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 ESV

It’s hard to watch a momma bird nudge her little babies out of the nest. They cling to the wiry branches once placed there by their parents. It’s their home… all they’ve ever known. It was where they grew up in the twig-lined tree house suspended by two limbs.

But they were created to soar.

It’s ironic, you know? You raise them up to let them go.

I loved having my children at home where I knew they were safe in our little bungalow made with cinderblock walls and ceramic tile floors… where laughter echoed through each room and joy filled the air.

It was where we did our best to fortify their faith. It was where we challenged them to stand strong, taught them right from wrong and tucked them into bed with precious unforgettable butterfly kisses.

But everything began to change.

Life as we knew it was beginning to come to a screeching halt. I felt like I was being hurled like a discus into a new season of life.

I don’t think I considered often enough that an empty nest was the goal? What would I have done differently if I had kept this goal in mind?

I would’ve worked harder at parenting the adult they would become and not just the child they were.

I would’ve searched more diligently for a mentor to help me in my journey as a mom. I would’ve looked for more ways to strengthen their talents and feed their dreams.

I would’ve definitely bought that camcorder we couldn’t afford and captured those Kodak moments for generations to come.

I would’ve taken Midol so my children wouldn’t have to experience my monthly hormonal meltdowns.

I would’ve taken more trips to the park and spent more days at the beach.

I would have basked in the beauty of a midnight sky as we counted the stars and conversed about the Creator.

I would’ve spent less time cleaning the grout in my tile, scrubbing the baseboards and organizing the linen closet.

I would’ve never told them to stop laughing.

I’m not sure how the years flew by so fast or when my boys became men, but I know they were created to soar.

One day, sweet mom, it will be your children’s turn to soar. It’s what they were created for. Your job is to prepare them to trust God for their journey, to fly above their circumstances, to keep their wings strong and their hearts clean and to find shelter from the storm under the Shadow of the Almighty when the winds begin to batter their soul and weaken their resolve.

Oh, and by the way… your heart may hurt when your nest is empty, but your children have a way of filling it back up again with grandchildren! Yeah… did I mention how sweet it is to be a grandma?!

Lord, help me to savor the seconds when my children are young and to diligently prepare them to become who You created them to be. May I teach them to feed on Your Word and to trust You no matter what they go through. Help me prepare them to soar well – for Your glory!

© 2017 by Stephanie Shott. All rights reserved.

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