Author Lizzy Armentrout

“Please, Lord, keep her safe.  Keep her from killing herself.”  If I remember correctly, that is the prayer I uttered nine years ago when my baby girl was learning to ride a bike.  Any parent who has taught their first child to ride a bike understands that feeling of being scared to death when you take your hands off your child’s bike for the first time.  It is a breath-holding moment where you imagine every awful thing that could possibly happen…everything from a simple scraped knee to crashing into a tree or car and ending up in the hospital.  I remember thinking, “Does she really need to ride a bike?”  Then when she mastered the skill my husband and I were so proud of her and her great accomplishment. 

Nine years later I wish I was dealing with that emotion again because today my baby girl is going to start driving a car.  A CAR! Talk about scared…and I don’t mean her! A bicycle would’ve hurt her but a car can do so much more damage.  I can very quickly imagine every possible bad thing that could go wrong.  It gives me a whole new appreciation for the day I started driving a car in drivers’ ed. I was so ready for it and so confident and totally unaware that my dad was probably shaking in his boots! I find myself uttering the same prayer I uttered nine years ago, “Please, Lord, keep her safe.  Keep her from killing herself!”  I find myself wondering who ever thought 15 and 16 yr olds were old enough to drive a car? Isn’t 30 a better age?  While at the same time I am happy for her because I know she’s been dreaming about this day for years.  This is one of those times as a parent where I am definitely claiming that verse: “What time I am afraid I will trust inThee.”  (Psalm 56:3)