“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb …Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”   Psalm 139: 13, 16

There is nothing like the joy, hope, and dreams brought about upon the birth of a child. I remember when my own children were born and the way I looked at them in awe of their newborn perfection. It didn’t take long for me to begin formulating grand plans about what they each would do, be, and become in their lifetime. I imagined them having the same wonderful experiences I had with friends and in school and in church. I wanted them to grow up exactly like me! 

There was only one problem. Nothing stays the same. The world changed. Society changed. 

The world my children came to know and be a part of was very different from the world I knew as a child and young adult. The technology alone had an enormous influence on that. I was saddened that my children wouldn’t be reliving the happy, seemingly simple pleasures I knew as a child but excited about the possibilities I saw unfolding for them. Possibilities I could not have fathomed from my background and personal frame of reference. 

Even in the excitement of all the positive things I witnessed as my own children changed and grew, I couldn’t let go of all the grand plans I had for their lives. In my normal motherly way, I pushed them. Pushed them to make the choices I thought were best. Pushed them to do the things I wanted them to do. Pushed them away from influences I found detrimental to their goals … their goals which were really my goals. 

With all the wants I had for their lives came the worries as well. What if they don’t do … be … or become? I pride myself on expecting the unexpected – but what if something unexpected happened? 

Guess what? It did. 

My two beautiful, wonderful children grew up and did a lot of unexpected things. Many truly awesome and some that tried my soul. 

Have you read The Power of a Praying Parent or The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children by Stormie Omartian? A friend gave me one of those books and the other I picked up for myself. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that sooner – Praying, I mean. 

Of course, I prayed all along the way but not the intentional, focused prayers of the parent I wanted to be. So, I became one eventually and intentionally … a praying parent who realized only God is in control and that only He knows the real grand plan for each of us – even my children. I realized these two humans I raised to be independent really were. Making their own choices. Living their own lives. 

Guess what? It is all turning out just as God planned. In God’s perfect timing.

Last week, we became grandparents for the first time. Grandparents of not one but two beautiful babies … twins, a boy and a girl. In their first few days of life, I once again found myself gazing at them in awe of their newborn perfection with grand plans entering my mind. This time, of course, everything is even more GRAND – the grand plans of a grandparent. 

Guess what? Things are different this time. 

I am much more at peace with the grand plan for each of their lives because of Psalm 139: 13, 16. I know the wants and worries are not gone for good, but I have them in perspective now. God knows these babies. He saw their unformed bodies before they were introduced to us, and He knows every day that they have yet to live. 

Guess what? I find that comforting and powerful. 

In this same way, God knew me and you when we were in our mothers’ wombs. All our days are written in His book. He saw this day coming way before I did. I am thankful He has gone before me and is beside me – every day.

We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving and beyond. Each person is a blessing and each day a gift to be enjoyed. 

Keep making those grand plans (I know I will) but know who has the master plan. Embrace the comfort and power of His plan.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!