Biking to School

Since we have been in town, I have been walking with the girls as they ride their bikes to school each day. There is a "highway" to cross so I feel better if I walk with them to ensure they get across safely. And besides, it is a great excuse for me to get some exercise and Levi loves going for walks in the stroller!
On Friday, as we were leaving to go to school Joselyn says, "Mommy, why do you have to walk with us, it is so embarrassing. My friends' mom;s don't walk with them to school. I can ride my bike to school by myself." I told her that I wasn't walking with them to school I was just going for a walk to get some exercise (it just happened to be at the same time they were going to school and on the same route they were taking). So I decided to hang back a bit to give her some space. As we were riding through the park, Joselyn totally bailed and fell off her bike. I saw it happen and ran to her. She was crying and calling for me to come help her. After she calmed down, she told me she was so glad I was walking with her to school. I asked her what she would do if she fell off her bike and I wasn't there (not to say "good thing I was there", but just so she would think of some options of what to do in that instance.) She told me that she didn't have to think about that because that would never happen, because she wanted me to always walk with her to school from now on.
As I thought about it I realized that this is what I often do to God. When things are going well, I want to "ride my bike" by myself and ride ahead of God. Then I fall down and call out to him, and he so graciously is right there to help me up.
As I look back on my life I am thankful that God is so faithful and that never lets me out of his sight...even when I try to bike ahead! And as a new year of life dawns, I pray that I will continue to learn to let God pedal ahead of me as I follow him!