A Parent's Graduation

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you . . . For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

It was a warm, rainy June evening. My husband and I, along with our youngest daughter, had just stepped outside of the auditorium where she had walked across the stage and received her High School diploma. On the surface, it was just another graduation complete with the students’ excitement for their future, celebration of their achievements, and nostalgia for the friends and memories they were leaving behind. But, lying just under the surface of the festivities, I experienced both the relief that my hands-on parenting had ended and the joy that, by God’s grace, our daughter had blossomed into a sweet yet focused young lady. Mingling with the other families after the ceremony, some of whom we had known for many years, I could see my emotions reflected in the faces of the other parents. Nevertheless, for my husband and me, this ceremony marked the end of our child rearing. As she is our fourth and last child, it was our graduation, too!
Although I had tried to prepare myself mentally and emotionally for this eventuality, the ceremony suddenly made my graduation a reality. Taking a deep breath as we stepped out the door, my eyes glanced upward to the distant horizon. Remnants of the sunset shone brightly against the dark rain clouds overhead. Three more steps forward and I felt a burden, like a heavy knapsack, suddenly lifting from my back. Stopping to take in the moment, I smiled in amazement, not expecting such an emotional response to my graduation. Was this a God-moment? Certainly! He removed the ‘burden’ of active parenting from my shoulders. Praise God! Our parent-child relationship will now grow into one that is more like “Let’s share life as equals.”
As I shared this story with others over the following weeks, I was still in awe that God allowed me to sense the change in my role with my children. However, I wondered, “What happened to that knapsack?” Did it just dissipate into nothingness like a deleted file on the computer? Two months later God revealed the answer: the knapsack did NOT dissolve. God is wearing it on HIS back! He is looking after my kids now - protecting them, guiding them, and drawing them closer to Him. Ah, another God-moment! God is so good!
Yes, I know from my experience with my other grown children, that adulthood is not an event but a process, yet, knowing that God is now their primary care-giver has given me a great sense of freedom to open my heart to whatever God has planned anew for me. His yoke is light. As He leads me, my heart sings, my steps lighten, and my eyes shine brighter. “Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you” (Psalm 55:22).