Driver's Ed is Over

Today is a bittersweet day. First, I'll get to pay a whole lot more money every month. By making that declaration, let me also issue you a warning. My son is getting his driver's license today. Stay clear on the streets, I have ridden with him. When I called the insurance office and told them my son was getting his license, the lady began laughing. Now I don't know about you, but I don't know if that was a laugh of consolation or if she was beginning to count the money.
Nate's been 16 since December. He's got the permit. But frankly, he's been too busy to take driver's education. Since this is spring break, he's finally got a break in his schedule and he is driving his final driving test as I write these words.
There's a side of me that looks forward to this. I don't have to drive him here and there to everything he's involved in. But there's the freedom thing that says, I can't be with him at every moment. I know this is every parent's dilemma and Martha and I are not exempt. I wonder about God allowing us the freedom to live. He could have made us robots, but instead he made us (as we used to say all the time) free moral agents. I never really understood that term. It just means we are free to choose. God made us free to chose. Free to believe. Free to accept. Free to live His life or not.
Paul tells us in Ephesians that we are in all things to grow up. God wants us to grow up much like we want our own children to do the same. Only, I have this pit in my stomach. Will he make the right decisions? Will he be safe? Will he come home at a safe hour at night? I take some assurance in the fact that God has felt the same about me. And now, His celestial arms embrace me with a knowing smile and He says, "I know how you feel."
Pad your cars. Get our schedule so I can tell you when he'll be on the street. Pray for me to let go. And have a great day. JW