I remember taking Colby to the beach in Morro Bay, California when he was two. I carried him through the thick sand towards the water. His mom, Sandy, spread out a blanket and we all sat down to take off our shoes. Lifting Colby up we held his hands and started walking toward the ocean. But when Colby left the blanket and his feet hit the sand he began to cry. He hated the feel of the sand on his feet, not because it was hot, but because it was gritty and dirty. As a child Colby didn’t like to be dirty, he liked everything clean, neat and organized. Even at his first birthday we tried to have him do the traditional dive into birthday cake, but he wouldn’t have it. He was hesitant even to touch it. When a little frosting covered two of his fingers he grew concerned, heading towards tears, and wanted someone to remove the stickiness. As much as we tried to encourage him to enjoy the moment of glorious cake, he simply couldn’t bring himself to get messy.
As a child, Colby liked things that were safe, comfortable, and predictable. As an adult, not so much. Its funny how much things can change! Our safe, comfortable, predictable little boy has grown up into and daring, adventurous, care-free, spontaneous young man getting ready to embark on an 11-month, 11-country, world mission. Twenty-two years ago, trying to coax him off the blanket, I never saw this coming!
Over the years God has used Colby in a variety ways to teach Sandy and I lessons. As our first child we learned much about how to be parents, just like all parents. But Colby always seemed unique. As a baby he cried… a lot. Other parents would take their children for a ride in the car and their babies would fall asleep. Colby cried. So we learned different ways to cope with his crying and how to live with very little sleep. While other kids were playing in the dirt, and throwing balls, Colby was looking for the hose to wash his hands so he go in to read a book. So we read lots of books. Sandy and I were both athletes in our younger days, but we figured out quickly that Colby would not follow in our footsteps, so we learned let him discover his own likes and talents. We didn’t go to sporting events, we went to Colby’s chess tournaments and math competitions. With each unique character revealed in Colby, God showed us what a blessing Colby was in our lives and taught us to love the things that Colby loved.
Along the way we tried teach Colby a love for the things that God loved - a love for his creation in nature, a love for people less fortunate than us, and a love for Jesus Christ. It is an incredible blessing to see him now as a young man fully embracing all those things, in some ways because of us and in some ways in spite of us, but completely by God’s goodness and grace. At the same time God has crafted all of his uniqueness as a boy into gifts that, now as a godly young man, he freely shares with whoever comes in contact with him, both near and far.
As Colby’s parents, we continue to learn, not so much because of him anymore, but from him. We have learned to appreciate the things that are in front of us and the moments we are in. We have learned to be a bit more spontaneous and follow our hearts a little more. We listen more to the call of the Holy Spirit and see more clearly the work that God is doing around us. We have learned to love people a little more, love life a little more, love God a little more. We have also learned to hold everything a little less tightly, including Colby.
God has not called us to safety and security. He has not called us to comfort. In fact he has called us to something very different. He has given us one life to live and one story to tell. Through Colby we are understanding this more and more as the days countdown ever closer to January 2. In ways we never imagined, God has uniquely prepared him, and us, for The World Race. If God has called us to do uncomfortable things for the sake of his kingdom, then certainly he has done the same for our children. Who are we to try to keep them from what God is calling them to do and who are we to be anxious over how God is at work in their lives? Colby has taught us to take greater confidence in that, to trust that God knows what he is doing. Colby does not belong to us. The painful truth is he never did. He has been God’s from the beginning, we just have the joy of calling him our son and to learn more about God because of him. I pray that God will continue to teach us through him.
If you would like to follow Colby on the World Race you can sign up to follow his World Race blog, he would love it if you would! Even better, he would love it if you would comment and send him encouragement in the coming months. There is no better encouragement than messages from home!
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