Many years ago, I set out to write a devotional for every day of the year: all 365 of them! I didn’t reach my goal (yet, there’s still hope), but I wrote quite a few.  I periodically look back on them and remember the situations and experiences I was going through. Here is another one of my devotionals, at a time when things were pretty good in my life. And He used JP to issue a very important reminder.

Turn It Loose

“A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away…”
Ecclesiastes 3:6

My son, JP, loves balloons. For Valentine’s Day, I bought him a green frog balloon that said, “I Love You” on the front of it. It was really cute and boy did he love it! I definitely got my money’s worth out of it (which was only a dollar!). He has carried it all over the house, played with it in his room and tortured the dog a little.

Today, while I was in the kitchen washing dishes, JP walked up to me and said, “Mommy, it’s time to let my balloon go.” Puzzled, I looked at him and said, “What do you mean, ‘let it go’?” His answer brought tears to my eyes. “I want to give it to God.” I’m sure you can guess what we did next…he grabbed his balloon by the string and we headed out the door. Once we were in the driveway, he turned it loose. We stood and watched as his gift was carried away with the wind. I smiled.

What do you need to let go of today? If you are anything like me, you may not know where to begin. Spend a little time with God in His word. Eventually, He will reveal to you exactly what you’re holding on to. And then He only asks you to do one thing…

Grab the string, look to the Son and turn it loose!

(Addendum, 10 years later)

I still have trouble with this one. Especially when it comes to parenting. Lately, I’ve been struggling A LOT. I have so many fears and anxieties when I think about what our future looks like and the person JP will become. I know it’s a normal thing. But sometimes, I have to admit, I take it to the extreme. I allow those fears and insecurities to overwhelm me.

At church last night, our pastor (and my dear friend) made a statement that really struck a chord with me. He said, ” Quit praying in the spirit of hopelessness. Quit praying like things never work out for you. Things are GOING to work out for you! In the end, WE WIN!” 

Cue the tears. Maybe there were others in the congregation last night who needed to hear those words, but I know for certain the Holy Spirit whispered them to me. I sat still, enveloped in His peace – the kind that passes all understanding.

“No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and the Lamb of God will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there – no need for lamps or sun – for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever. 

Then the angel said to me, ‘Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The Lord God, who inspires his prophets, has sent his angel to tell his servants what will happen soon.”  Revelation 22:3-6

In other words, Joy comes in the morning.

Praise God.