This past week as part of the requirements for his
graduation in a couple of months, my son participated in something called “Controlled
Burn School.” I suppose that if you’re going to graduate from the Forestry School,
even if your emphasis is in wildlife sciences, they want you to know a few things about forest management.
Nothing warms a mother’s heart like knowing her son is a
couple of hundred miles away walking around with a tank on his back containing
combustibles and a wand in his hand which shoots out fire.
He sent me a few photos with the caption, “I helped set fire
to a hundred acres on Tuesday.”
What more could a boy want? He had a great time.
In the four years since I wrote that post about him movinginto the dorm his freshmen year, he’s done it. He’s getting the degree he set
out to obtain, and I’m learning that he’s going to keep doing dangerous things,
so I need to trust God with all of that. I think that somehow, God increases
our capacity to cast all our care upon him (I Peter 5:7).
Years ago, when he was an infant, I never dreamed as I held him in my arms, I’d
be so calm about him starting a forest fire.
As parents, we want to help mold our children’s characters
and instill in them the love of God, but I’m understanding that God also uses
our children to mold our characters and develop the traits he want in us as parents.
God doesn’t waste anything.
In some ways God is doing a "controlled burn" in me, burning up my distrust to make way for complete reliance on Him. Here’s to “controlled burns” and character
molding both with me and my son. I’m sure more are coming, but I’m equally sure that God will supply all
I need to celebrate with my son as he lives the life God has for him.