I will be there

Last night I took a midnight drive into Franklin to retrieve a little lost duckling.  Did I want to get out of bed when I had JUST fallen asleep?  No.  Do I even like driving?  No.  I did those things, because I love my little duckling.  Alas, every choice we make in parenting is actually part of a bigger lesson for our children.  For example:

Last night the lesson I taught Noah was:  I will be there.  I will be there when he is 10-years old and homesick at Oma and Poppa's, and I will be there if he is a teenager at a party he has no business being at, and he needs a ride home.  I will be there.

I wasn't just born with these supermom tendencies.  I didn't come out of the womb bearing the ability to rouse myself from a sound sleep and drive an hour ONE way to pick up my homesick baby.  These were superhero abilities I learned from my supermom.  Repeatedly, she rescued me when I was homesick at Kelly Rooney's or took me out shopping after I was cut from 7th grade cheerleading.  She flexed her supermom muscles last fall when my husband was out of work from having brain surgery, and we couldn't pay the rent.  I learned from my mom: I will be there.

This of course gets me to thinking about God, and how He will be there.  He will be there when things are great.  He will be there when things are not so great.  Tonight Jeremiah is going to be baptized.  It is a wonderful, happy occasion, and He will be there.  One year ago this week, we were facing the fear and uncertainty of the removal of a piece of John's skull followed by two months of unpaid time off work, and you know what we learned?  He will be there.  

...I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Joshua 1:5)

Last night I taught Noah a valuable lesson about his Momma:  I will be there, just like my Momma taught me.  But I (and my Momma too) taught a deeper lesson:  He will be there.  For:

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts (or go and rescue...my words) to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts (or go and rescue...my words) to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:9-11)

As exhausting and inconvenient as that trip was last night, it wasn't without its blessings.  As I drove down highway 45, the song Dancing with Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman came on the radio.  Initially, I started envisioning my husband dancing with his daughters on their wedding days, but then a lyric hit me from outta the blue and changed my focus.  Before too long, the clock will strike midnight, and she'll (it hit me as: he'll) be gone.  All of a sudden I realized, Noah won't need me like this too much longer.  In just a few years, he will be a teenager and even if he does miss me this much in the middle of the night, he will NEVER admit that by calling me and asking me to come get him. I immediately thanked God for this chance to enjoy him still being a kid... and still needing his Momma.

I'm a little groggy today, and I have a BIG day ahead of me.  But I am very glad that I taught Noah:  I will be there last night.  I am glad I had some time to reflect upon how my Mom continually taught me (and to this day continues to teach me):  I will be there.  And that these thoughts turned my heart to remembering that He will be there ALWAYS.  Truth be told, I am also glad I had that one precious hour driving home with my son, listening to all the fun things he had done in the past two days away from me.  But the BEST part I think, was when I got to Oma and Poppa's, and he walked out the front door and looked at me and said, "Mom!  I am SO glad to see you!"