Monday, March 9, 2009

I was talking with my daughter Madison who is all grown up at five years old. Somehow we got off on the topic of marriage. She told me she plans to get married one day. I said, "Honey, that's great with me." I continued, "You can just live here with mommy and daddy until you do, say in about 30 years?" With full confidence in her voice she quickly replied, "Daddy, I'll get married when Jesus says its time for me to get married!" GAME OVER. All I could say was, "OK. Can't argue with that."

As parents, we have all kinds of ideas about our kid's future. We've made plans. Good plans. Here are Daddy's plans for Madison:

1. Graduate from High School (first, graduate from Kindergarten)

2. Graduate from College

3. Take a year to intern overseas (No, I'm not a Mormon. Yes, I'll miss her, but what an experience)

4. Marry an incredible, yet undeserving Christian young man

5. Get me some grandkids before I am too old to enjoy them

Great plans. But maybe, God has even better plans.

I will continue to teach and encourage and love Madison toward some awesome goals, but I am also aware that my job is not to try and orchestrate her future, but to prayerfully guide her toward the will of God for her life.

God reminds us that His thoughts and His ways are not like ours. His ways are so much better (Isaiah 55:8-9). Put those words with the words of the prophet Jeremiah, "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11), and I understand that God's plans for Madison are so much better than mine. In fact, His plans are perfect for her! The phrase, "Daddy knows best" does not apply here. My plans may not line up exactly with God's plans. However, God knows best and He wants to bring His will to pass in her life. As much as I love Madison, God loves her more.

I pray that Madison will be true to her words about getting married "when Jesus says its time." I also pray it will be a pattern for EVERY decision in her life and ... in MY life!