For just over 2 weeks now, Cole started riding his bike without training wheels! One day, he asked Daddy to take them off, and so, he did! Now, other parents may be thinking..."Why did you say, YES? He's only 3!" That's a very logical question...one I may have asked myself if I were you :) I can only tell you, as a parent I've learned the following...
There are some lessons better learned on the pavement of life...
Don't get me wrong...not everything...I'm a HUGE believer in equipping my children to make good choices through the WORD of GOD and the way He tells us to go. When it comes, however, to whether or not I should let Cole try riding his bike without training wheels when he asks...I'm all for it. I figure, none of us really know what we're capable of until we try! John and I will be here for him if he falls and help him understand he needs to wait a while longer if it doesn't work out just yet...
But what if...just what if...he can do it.
What an awesome THRILL for my boy!
He's been watching on the heels of Ryder for a while now, tearing after him through the neighborhood when we go for our family 3 mile loop before dinner.
Watching, and waiting for his turn to take those wheels OFF!
So...he asked...Daddy said YES...and now, this is what we have...
Every day when he gets home from school, the first words that come out of his mouth are,
"I wanna ride around the lake!"
Our whole family suits up (helmets and all)...
and we take our daily ride as a family...
For two weeks now, my 3 year old boy has ridden the whole way...in FRONT, on his little two-wheeled bike that we were given from dear friends from our church small-group :)
And Cole, is in 3-year old heaven :)
Again, he's proven to us that we should never underestimate what God can do with the life of One He's created. What a canvas of life He's drawing out in this little life! I just sense there is someone reading our story, that needs to hear about what God shows us about Himself in the following scripture...
Isaiah 55:9
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
...I wonder how this thought from God impacts you...
Maybe God has asked you to walk down a path you've been resistant to venture down since it means facing so many unknowns if you say YES...
Maybe you're discouraged by a recurring health issue that just won't seem to go away, and you've lost hope that healing is possible...
Maybe your marriage is struggling and you're afraid to tell anyone, since you feel like a failure in admitting you need help...
Maybe you've lost child after child to miscarriage and have started to think that maybe God doesn't want you to be a parent...
Maybe you or your child lives with a disability and you're struggling to see how a good God could ever allow someone to live a life in a body the world sees as "sub par"...
For anyone with a question like the ones above, there are a million other people in the world asking questions just like yours...where is God in the midst of my questions, fear, insecurity, broken heart, and confusion.
The incredible comfort I can give to you in the midst of your struggle, is that there is no season of pain and questioning that you endure without the hand and spirit of God beckoning you to draw near to Him in the midst of it. You may not understand it at the time, but trust that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours, and He will see you through it...
There is GREAT purpose that He has for us in the seasons when we feel like we're walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. In the times when we're too blinded by our pain to see His plan for us, we need to remember as David did when he wrote the 23rd Psalm right before his death...
1The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
One of the things I learned in Bible Study this past Spring, was that the word "restores" in verse 3 actually means
"He causes to come back."
A shepherd would never lead His sheep astray or into danger...in fact no matter how hard the journey, He ALWAYS leads them HOME.
And to quote one of my favorite Bible teachers I've learned from since I've been a student of His Word,
Whatever valley you are going through at the time that you think just may be the end of you...
"If it brings you HOME, it was a mighty good trip!"
May the choices I make for myself and my children bring LIFE and lead them closer to the One who calls them Home to His arms even now as we live out life here on Earth.
I think Cole just may ride the whole way HOME on two wheels...He's certainly inspired us to do the same, trusting God to lead us every step of the way!
Isaiah 55:9
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
...I wonder how this thought from God impacts you...
Maybe God has asked you to walk down a path you've been resistant to venture down since it means facing so many unknowns if you say YES...
Maybe you're discouraged by a recurring health issue that just won't seem to go away, and you've lost hope that healing is possible...
Maybe your marriage is struggling and you're afraid to tell anyone, since you feel like a failure in admitting you need help...
Maybe you've lost child after child to miscarriage and have started to think that maybe God doesn't want you to be a parent...
Maybe you or your child lives with a disability and you're struggling to see how a good God could ever allow someone to live a life in a body the world sees as "sub par"...
For anyone with a question like the ones above, there are a million other people in the world asking questions just like yours...where is God in the midst of my questions, fear, insecurity, broken heart, and confusion.
The incredible comfort I can give to you in the midst of your struggle, is that there is no season of pain and questioning that you endure without the hand and spirit of God beckoning you to draw near to Him in the midst of it. You may not understand it at the time, but trust that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours, and He will see you through it...
There is GREAT purpose that He has for us in the seasons when we feel like we're walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. In the times when we're too blinded by our pain to see His plan for us, we need to remember as David did when he wrote the 23rd Psalm right before his death...
1The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
One of the things I learned in Bible Study this past Spring, was that the word "restores" in verse 3 actually means
"He causes to come back."
A shepherd would never lead His sheep astray or into danger...in fact no matter how hard the journey, He ALWAYS leads them HOME.
And to quote one of my favorite Bible teachers I've learned from since I've been a student of His Word,
Whatever valley you are going through at the time that you think just may be the end of you...
"If it brings you HOME, it was a mighty good trip!"
May the choices I make for myself and my children bring LIFE and lead them closer to the One who calls them Home to His arms even now as we live out life here on Earth.
I think Cole just may ride the whole way HOME on two wheels...He's certainly inspired us to do the same, trusting God to lead us every step of the way!
I LOVE this!! Yeah Coley!!! So fun that he had willing parents, an excellent teacher in Ryder and now a new found freedom. Now that Caeden is also on 2 wheels we are biking as a family all the time too. Last night we rode for 75 minutes, I was so impressed. Caleb always says, "that was a good bike date!" I enjoy that we get our families out for exercise and family bonding...so good. :)
Robbie and I were sitting here watching this and I literally was weeping, listening to your "deaf" little man speak with perfect clarity! PRAISE GOD for the miracle of hearing and amazing teaching!