Radical.

Being a parent means making the toughest decisions of your life. You will hurt harder than you thought possible and love so deeply you feel like you will die.

In church, we are learning about what it means to be "Radical" and what it means to really follow the Lord. 

Radical: of or going to the root or origin, fundamental.

As a parent, we are the "Radical", the root from which our children were born. We only have their absolute best interest at heart and unconditional love for them. As the Lord does for us, his children. 

Letting go and allowing your children to think for themselves and do for themselves is a vital part of parenting. Difficult or not. That is a "radical" step for a parent, the art of letting go....


When your child comes home from school and someone has upset them, your heart aches. You want to put a protective shield over your child so that nothing can keep their ray of beaming light from shining brightly.
That is not always possible. Little by little, even though we can never really release our children completely, we have to let them out of our grasp. A hard thing to do because our heart is attached, no, WOUND all around our children. It is as though our heart goes on beating outside of our chest.


Bella is getting more independent as the days progress, she doesn't need my help with her hair, getting dressed, doing homework. She still needs me and wants me by her side in some ways, but I am certain the day is coming when even something as minor as walking her to her classroom in the mornings will be  passe'.

So, day by day, week by week, I am loosening my grip, letting my children grow into what God has created them to be. I hope that my voice, my guidance and my parenting will continue to guide them throughout their lives.


I am 41 and my Mom and Dad still give me guidance, advice, direction and love.  I have to decipher between the emotions and see the meaning and love behind their words. It is not as though they are tightening their grasp on me, but their heart is wound all around me, so when I hurt or make decisions that seem harmful, it makes them ache too. 


Parents are radical, the root. Children are the seeds. God is the glory and the sunlight. Together, we are family. Connected by our hearts, forever.


Today, I hope that as you loosen your grip, that you not only find your child growing in their independence, but that you also find yourself growing too.