We gave Hannah a bike with training wheels for her 5th birthday in 2010. Since Hannah’s birthday is in September, she really did not have much of a chance that first year to ride it. Then she would ride it occasionally without much enthusiasm. Doug removed the training wheels, not wanting Hannah to rely on them so much that she would have a difficult time transitioning to two wheels. She did not get the hang of it, and we abandoned pursuing it further; the bike entered storage. Flash forward to late spring. I helped her once by holding on to the handlebars and seat, walking along beside her as she pedaled. However, this process hurt my back and made me dread the thought of another session. I also imagined that teaching Hannah to ride without training wheels would take a very long time and kill me in the process. The poor bike would just hang forgotten from its hook in the garage. Ah, but then along came the evening of July 1, 2012. I had no idea that we would witness a major milestone in Hannah’s childhood. At Hannah’s request, I brought the bike down and set it in our cul-de-sac, steeling myself for a grueling workout of keeping her balanced on the frame as she circled around. When Doug noticed me holding on to the bike, he told me that she would never learn that way. He said that you have to give a big push in order to get her going. So he took over, running along with Hannah for a few steps; then he gave her a big, heaving push and yelled for her to keep going. Visions of Hannah instantly falling down with horrible, bleeding scrapes on her knees and elbows frightened me. But as quickly as those thoughts entered my mind, they just as rapidly evaporated because Hannah did not fall. She kept right on going, keeping her balance beautifully as she continued straight ahead. By getting her momentum up, Doug had successfully started Hannah on her way to a new achievement. She rode for another half hour without stopping. She circled the cul-de-sac countless times and only fell once as she collided with the curb. Using the brakes correctly was her most difficult challenge. Now, six days later, Hannah has ridden her bike several more times, becoming increasingly confident each session. She speeds around with ease, and we have ventured out as far as the nearby playground. That first night, as I raced upstairs to get the video camera, my heart beat fast with the heady excitement of knowing Hannah had crossed yet another threshold to a higher level of self-possessed capability, adding another skill to her growing arsenal. I praised God as I rushed to document the success, thanking Him for these amazing new experiences. I realized that mothers tend to be used by God to give their children roots: stability, trust, security, comfortable consistency. God often uses fathers to give their children wings: confidence, courage, challenges, discovery. Pushing Hannah fast and then letting her go on her bike alone never occurred to me. And yet it was the only way she was going to succeed. I need to remember this event and apply it to other areas in Hannah’s life: push her just enough so she will have confidence to use God’s grace to know she can do all things through Christ who gives her strength. After that, I can just let go and know that she will be safe.
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