Last week Andrew (my 20 year old son) finished his last summer school semester and headed home.  His first night home he asked if he and his room mates could go fishing taking my boat.  Night fishing at that.  I had some serious reservations and questions:
* He wants to go fishing without me
* He has never taken the boat out by himself before, especially at night
* What if something were to happen to him or the other boys
* What if he sunk my boat and all the equipment on it (little selfish I know, but I love that boat)
* What would his Mother think if I allowed this to happen
* What if he hit someone while pulling the boat
* What if he and his buddies did something REALLY stupid

I could continue with the 100 questions racing through my mind.  Asked Debbie her thoughts and she quickly told me just how bad an idea it was.  She was having the exact same thoughts but magnified because she is a Mother.

Then I remembered a time my Dad made me feel like a small child at the age of 40.  He raised his voice at me to go and take a shower after running.  I was talking to Rusty and wasn't ready to shower.  Made me feel so small.
Wished he would let me be the man I had become. 

So I decided to let him and his buddies go but gave him my LIST.  All parents know about the list.  The check list we put our kids through when they're about to step out and do something on their own for the first time.  Had him call me when the boat was safely in the water.

Bad as I hate it Andrew is growing up and becoming a man.  He is no longer my little baby boy.  He wants to prove he is a man.  He wants to show me at times he isn't 12 anymore. 

This is an awesome example about our walk with Christ.  So many people want to get their heaven ticket and remain an infant in Christ for their entire life.  The apostle Paul put it this way:

Hebrews 5:12-14 
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! [13] Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. [14] But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

We all grow up physically and should have the same desire spiritually.  A lot more on this Sunday morning.

I look forward to the day Andrew ask if he can step onto the stage and share a message God has laid on his heart.

Oh, by the way.  Andrew has the Herman curse in regards to fishing.  Not one fish all night.  But they had fun and brought the boat back in one piece.