Levi and the bike

Ever since we got home last July - Levi has loved riding his bike with training wheels. It was a sad day last winter when we put it in the shed and said goodbye to it for a few months. Well, now that it is getting nicer outside and he is 5, I decided that we would try to get him to ride without training wheels. I really had built this up in my head to be a major event. Full of hardship, tears, possibly bleeding and bruises. Perhaps some real powerful teaching moments about perservering and then, in the end accomplishment, joy and success! Almost metaphorical as to what we have been through together in the last 8 mos. I had Isaac help in the process. He used the crescent wrench to remove the training wheels. I held the back of the seat for balance as Levi got on the bike. I reassured him that I wouldn't let go and not to be afraid.
However... His feet merely touched the pedals and he sped away from me across the front lawn. perfectly balanced, quickly- like he'd done it a million times. He attempted to turn and gently fell to the grass. Levi turned to look for me as I came running towards him. I exclaimed " You DID IT! you can ride your bike!!" and he looked up at me with that HUGE Levi smile and said "Yup, and you didn't even help me."
There went my metaphor, right out the window. Or did it?
I told Tanya this story and she explained that maybe what God is showing me is that I just need to "Let go and let God" and she's right. I tend to try to shape things into what I think they should be. I know that I'm guilty of this with our kids. Trying to get them to behave a certain way so they look right, instead of really addressing their hearts and encouraging them.
The bike, well, lets just say the tires are going bald and were putting some serious miles on during these sunny days! He rides like a champ and keeps up with Isaac, which is no easy task.

Layne