Through A Mother's Eyes

Searching

BY DIANE CHEVELDAYOFF

As a mother of three adult daughters, I can say from experience that parenting is a journey with many different challenges. But as our children grow through their own journey, we as parents have the privilege of witnessing the stages of that growth, including feeling exuberant joy when they use their voices to speak out into a dark world.

One of our daughters has recently moved to Hawaii, and her life is quite an adventure. As her mom, it can be unsettling to see the risk involved in some of her activities. Her extreme hikes seem tame compared with the times she free dives with sharks and whales or ventures to the edge of a cliff and then repels down hundreds of feet. These intense adventures are seemingly never-ending.

And yet, seeing her resulting photography and hearing the excitement in her voice as she describes her experiences allows me to see life through a different lens. I recognize this is the time for her to enjoy and explore where she is, and it is also the time for me to trust God, knowing He will protect her and speak to her. That’s no easy feat, no matter what age your children are. As parents, we are to be diligent in our prayers for the protection of our children. A well-known scripture is Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." (NIV) This is a promise that we can claim throughout our children’s lives.

Despite my own misgivings regarding possible danger, it is evident that my daughter sees God through her adventures. For example, one of her passions is finding waterfalls. However, the waterfall she seeks is often not easy to get to or close to a road. Instead, the trek requires dedication, endurance through obstacles, and preparation for the search. But after all, nothing truly good comes easy, which applies to all aspects of life.

Recently, after a difficult waterfall search, she shared, “You know if you stay on the riverbed, you will sooner or later get there. But what you don’t consider is that there are many riverbeds that can stray you off the main one.” Searching for a waterfall or the right path on a hike can be rewarding, but it’s not always easy. Along the way, many different paths can intertwine, making you question your choices. And just like hiking, navigating the path of life can be easy or challenging - with unexpected twists and turns.

My daughter continued to share about her waterfallseeking experience: “The whole time you are looking for the waterfall, you may be holding your breath, turning each river bend (and) hoping to catch a glimpse of the falling water. But, when you start to hear the roar of the crashing water, your heart starts to beat faster. Then, it’s the moment you turn that last bend and begin to see the never-ending waterfall in all its glory. I can’t get over how much beauty God is capable of creating. Everywhere I turn, I am in awe.”

Can we all agree that we smile when our children have these beautiful life experiences? But when they recognize God’s glory in His creation all around them, we beam!

We don’t have to live vicariously through our children, though. Because whether in nature or simple ways, God continuously demonstrates His direction and favor every day in every life; we only need to slow down and pay attention. We can beam as we see our children recognize God’s glory AND as our hearts beat faster each time God shows up to us, with the roaring sounds of heaven, displaying His glory.

My daughter’s adventures are indeed extreme. And although my adventures are far different, we have something in common.

You see, as she shares about her adventures, whether that be on social media or with others on her journey, she also shares her awe of God. And I am called to do the same. And so are you. God calls us to share His glory with others. He has crafted a glorious path full of His wonder for each of us. Let’s pray to keep our eyes open to His glory through the twists and turns, the obstacles, and the rough paths. And let’s commit to singing His praise to all who He puts on our path.

Diane is a professional meeting planner with over 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry - planning, contracting, and executing meetings and events worldwide. (www.ExecutiveDiamond.com) She and her husband Les have been married 31 years, have three beautiful adult girls, and work together in their ministry, HALO - Highway, Healing Arts Life’s Oxygen. (www.HALOHighway.com) In addition to writing for WWL, Diane also loves serving on the Leadership and Finance teams. She can be reached at Diane@ExecutiveDiamond.com or Diane@WomenWorldLeaders.com