Friday, February 29, 2008

Don't let your love grow cold...

Song for my sons
Sara Groves
  • this is a song for my sons for when they understand it
  • you know how life is full you know we couldn't plan it
  • your dad and i prayed for strength and understanding
  • for things we couldn't see or comprehend
  • this is a song from my heart a small refrain to hold you
  • for times when we're apart and i cannot console you
  • i can't say your life will always go like it should
  • but i can say that god is always good
  • and when the cold wind blows like i know it will
  • and when you feel alone like i know you will
  • and when the cold wind blows like i know it will
  • don't let your love grow
  • don't let your love grow
  • don't let your love grow cold
  • this is a song for my sons for when they understand it
  • you know how life is full you know we couldn't plan it
  • your dad and i prayed for strength and understanding
  • for things we couldn't see or comprehend
  • this a song for you, to carry in your pocket
  • take all our love with you in all the paths you walk in
  • be honest with yourself and don't forget to pray
  • and read your bible everyday
  • and when the cold wind blows like i know it will
  • and when you feel alone like i know you will
  • and when the cold wind blows like i know it will
  • chorus 2x
  • this is a song for my sons for when they understand it
  • you know how life is full, you know we couldn't plan it
  • your dad and i pray for your strength and understanding
  • the things you can not see or comprehend

This is yet another of Sara's songs that holds such strong meaning for me. She wrote this before her daughter was born but included her in the dedication when the album was released. This song so accurately describes the way we mommas especially want to just protect our children from everything and everyone. It's so easy for the momma bear in me to come out. It would behoove EVERYONE to not mess with my babies. Am I alone in this, girls? I think not. I am really struggling with the thought of sending Elijah to kindergarten in the fall. Waiting to hear where he gets in is hard. Making the decision, if there is one to make, will be hard. Taking him to wherever that is some morning in August and leaving him there for several hours will be harder still. Who will watch over him? Who will know if he's scared or worried or lonely? Who will remind him to wash his hands? Who will prompt him to finish his work? Who will know when someone is mean to him? Who will know if he's been mean to someone? I will no longer know all the little details of his every day. But he is ready. He is more than ready and I must prepare myself to let him go. To kindergarten and then all the other times I'll have to let him go. And so it will be with Miles and Ella as well. All I can do is hold them while I can, teach them what I can, and pray, pray, pray. So I will do these things and hope with all that is in me that they'll never let their love grow cold. That Love will fill them up and surround them. People will mistreat them. No one will love them like I do. Not everyone will think they are cute, or funny, or just a smidgen from perfect. Bad things will happen. They will feel alone. They will be unsure. They will wonder why. In these times I want them to hear a whisper that says "don't give up, continue in Love, I am here..." I also hear my dad speak to me in this song knowing that even now he prays for me to have "strength and understanding for things we cannot see or comprehend." I can only imagine how he felt knowing he was leaving us behind. He told my brother that he had taught us all that he could. Little did he know that his words and hopes and love would continue teaching, encouraging and stretching us. By this I know that my words, prayers and hopes can inspire my children throughout their lives - when they are in the kindergarten class and not at home with me, when they are away at college and not at home with me, when they marry and have their own homes and are not at home with me, and when I have gone on and they remain and are not yet Home with me. So I will teach them to love and hold tight to the One who is Love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (New International Version)

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.



2 comments:

carrie said...

Kindergarten is so hard. I cried so much as I pulled away that morning. I was blessed that Todd had a teacher that went to church with us. That made me feel better. I was worried about the same things. I have to say he has done great. There is not a day that goes by that I don't pray for him. It is so hard to let go and let him learn. Like you said, you have to pray that we have given them the foundation they need to stay true to who they are. I pray that middle school transitions this easily!

Anonymous said...

I can totally relate. My oldest is going to do Pre-K 5 before kindergarten and I'm so glad (he has a summer b-day so we want to give him an extra year). Even though he's going on his second year of pre-school I know that I'll cry like a baby when he starts kindergarten. It's such a big step!