Mothers worry


Today my 17 year old son went to the coast for a week (a two hour trip from our home).  This is the first time he has been away from home for more than a few days.   He is going with a group of 4 young men with one of the dad's driving then there and back.  Of course like most mothers the first thing I did was worry and had a long chat with my son about all the dangers at the beach: rips, rough sea, jumping off cliffs (not sure if he was even thinking of this one), drink alcohol (they didn't have any with them, only 2 large bottles of red cordial and 40 packets of instant noodles!!) etc...  He assured me that he would take care and not do anything stupid - of course that didn't stop me thinking of all the other things he could do.

He phoned just a while ago to say they had arrived safely and had gone for a walk to the beach and now settling in.  I asked for a message each night so I knew he was ok! and perhaps a few photos so I knew he was in one piece!  He returns next Wednesday - lots of prayers between now and then as I try and control my imagination.

Is there ever a time when a mother doesn't worry about her children?  I know my own mother spends many hours worrying about her 4 grown children.

..Lord help me to get through this day..
"In the day of my trouble I will call for YOU, for YOU will answer me".  Psalm 86.7


Comments

  1. No, you don't ever stop worrying. That child is yours for life. Ours are 22 and 20: one in the Air Force 1,500 miles away, and one at college 30 miles away. We pray constantly. We or they call often (thank goodness for cell phones and good long distance rates). But, worrying makes you remember to pray. Our children are in God's hands.

    P.S. My younger son draws Star Wars pictures for Deviant Art!

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  2. Hi Jo!
    Thanks for dropping by The Pantry. You asked about 'cream cheese butter' in the muffin recipe. I had to go back and take a look ~ I didn't know what it was either! *hehe* I think you must have misread 'sweet cream butter' which is just plain butter. But I imagine if you slathered on some cream cheese it would be delish!
    In this post you talk about worrying about a child. I have been there. At 17, my youngest daughter who had never been away from home longer than 3 days, went to college in Alaska! (We live in Washington State) Leaving her there on the steps of the college dorm was the most difficult day of my life! I cried the entire plane trip home. She graduated from that school with a Bachelors Degree in Wildlife Biology, worked for a summer in Alaska's Denali National Park studying *grizzly bears* (lots of prayer here), worked in Montana's Glacier Nat. Park studying grizzly bears, went to Syracuse, New York and got her Masters Degree in Conservation Biology, went to Honduras, South America, went to Africa for a summer to work on her Ph.D. and is currently going to grad school in Albany New York working on her Ph.D. And she got married in there somewhere along the way! My knees have very thick callous's (lots of praying!) She is 29 this year. I don't think a mother ever stops worrying about their children, no matter the age! I understand your worry!
    My daughter reminds me that we are each given an alotted amount of time on this earth, and when God calls us home, nothing will stop it! He doesn't give us more than we can bare.
    Blessings to you!

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  3. Ah, the childless life - I do though pray at least twice a day for my nieces and nephews (amongst others)!
    LL S

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  4. Hi Jo,

    First time I've posted a comment. Hope you don't think this is presumptous of me, but I have had to learn the lesson of not worrying but taking everything to God and trusting Him with the outcome, no matter what that may be or how bad I think the outcome will be. I have also had this conversation with your mother as well about worry being sin. If God says don't lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery etc doesn't don't worry fall into the same category?
    Anyway I found the following which may be food for thought.

    Have you ever considered that worry is a sin?

    Hear me out on this.

    What is worry? Webster defines worry as:

    1. Persistent mental uneasiness
    2. A source of nagging concern or uneasiness
    3. To feel uneasy or concerned about something, be troubled.
    4. To cause to feel anxious, distressed, or troubled.

    These are natural, human conditions that we all have. When we are in control of things and events all is well with us, but if the potential for something to happen that we cannot control is out there we worry.

    So, to sum up what was just said, worry is caused by something we cannot control. So, in reality, that means that we think we are the one best suited to be in control.

    Now that sounds rather arrogant, right? I mean, who are we to think that no one can do it better than we can? It is basically saying that we do not trust anyone but ourselves.

    But if we truly trust someone, we know that there is no cause for worry about what choices they will make. We know them well enough to allow them to make decisions on their own. We have faith in their abilities. We KNOW them.

    Is not worry, then, saying that we do not trust God? That we do not have faith in His control? Can we do anything better than God? Of course not! So why not tell Him our concerns and then trust Him to handle it? He is very capable. It is just our independent nature and arrogance that cause us to worry.

    How can God be part of an environment where there is no trust? Trust is one of the bases for love and the character of God is love. So if we love God, we must put our trust in Him to allow Him to be in control of all things. Then accept that whatever happens is what He wants for us in the grand scheme of eternity.

    Why do we want to be in control when we have Someone who is so much more capable than we are. Put your trust completely in God and you will find that worry is a condition that you no longer have to deal with.

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