First Day of School

I was on my way to work this morning when my radio in my truck just decided to turn itself on. While this has never happened before (my truck is only six months old), it happened during a morning when, earlier, I felt a distinct "breath" on my face as I was getting ready for my day, so I paid attention to what it was playing.

My radio is set such that when I turn it on it plays from my iPod since I normally listen to audiobooks on my way to work. As I had just finished my last audiobook over the weekend my iPod defaulted to my playlist. 

The first song on my playlist is "Acclamation" from the "Gospel Mass." The opening piano introduction sounds like a bad cover band from a movie I once saw, but the words: "Alleluia, praise the Lord, Alleluia, let us praise the Lord," started up and I couldn't help but sing along. Since I was in the mood to sing, I put the iPod in shuffle mode and just let it play.

The next song it played was Mark Schulz's "Remember Me." I love this song. The last chorus goes, "Remember Me, when your children leave their Sunday schools with smiles. Remember Me when their old enough to teach, old enough to preach, old enough to leave," and I just lost it.

Today is the first day of school for this year. Those words, "old enough to leave," had me really missing my son. 

My son left home for college when he was 19. Unlike most college kids he never came back to live at home during the summers. He got a job in the city in which he went to school and therefore lives up at school year-round. I miss him constantly and I feel like my time with him was cut short. However, I know that he needed his independence and I sacrificed my happiness to entrust his care to God.

As Mark Schulz's words rolled around in my head, I was reminded of the story of Abraham and Isaac that starts in Genesis 22. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son to God to show his faith. In a way, as we send our kids out into the world we are sacrificing our sons and daughters to the world as well.

And while most of us don't have to send our kids away to college, even sending your children to their big firsts--first day of kindergarden, first day of middle school, first day of high school, etc.--is a sacrifice in itself. We are sending them out of our protective custody and into a world where we have no control. But God does.

We have to trust, as Abraham trusted, that God knows what He is doing and will take care of our children. By showing this trust God will surely bless them and us. 

The next song my iPod played, "El Shaddai" by Amy Grant. "Through Your love and through the ram, You saved the son of Abraham."  Coincidence?  I think not. More tears.

Then, just to drive the point home, as I neared work, traffic was stopped for a school bus. As the doors to the school bus were closing there was a mom standing in the driveway, camera in hand taking a picture of her child as they boarded the school bus. She was giving her child to the world, entrusting their care to a bunch of strangers, and sacrificing her protective instincts for the hope of a better life for her child. Now I'm not just crying, I'm doing the "ugly" cry.

"Okay, God," I said through my tears, "enough! I get it."

If this past year of my life could be summed up in one phrase it would be "Trust God for everything." Trust that God will take care of you, your children, your families, your friends. Trust that when you try to take control your life will seem out of control. Trust that your sacrifices, however big or small, are noticed by God and will be rewarded.

I am truly blessed. My son has turned out to be a loving, caring, kind, hard-working, productive member of society. I may have had a small part in that, but I truly believe that it is through the Grace of God that he is the man he is today.

God got my attention today. So if your radio happens to turn itself on, listen for the message that God wants you to hear. Today’s was: Give your children to God. Entrust them to His care. Be comforted in knowing that by doing so, you and your children will be blessed. 

In the words of our pastors at the end of communion: "Through your Son, Jesus Christ ... all honor and glory is Yours, almighty God, now and forever. Amen."