A prayer for students as they go to college-and for their parents, too

Dear Father,
     Keep the little ones as they go.  You always kept them as we watched them grow.  The sound of laughter and skipping feet, smiling faces and kisses so sweet.  How quickly did the years go by, each evening with a soft lullaby- we wished them off to sleep.  As they grew older time flew by so fast, they were so excited to get their drivers license at last! But as their independence quickly increased, our worries we thought would never cease.  The sports, the proms, the late nights out...the shopping, the testing, college applications being sent out all these things worked to tear us farther apart, but only in
  distance,   not in our hearts.  In our hearts we parents held them closer than ever before, and tears fell softly as we watched them walk out the door - to a new adventure, to a place far away.  Now as we think about our babies we kneel down to pray.

Lord help us to be as trusting as you, when you sent out the disciples for the work they were to do.  They crossed miles of desert and oceans and plains.
 They went out into heat, and cold, and rain.
you had prepared them as all parents do.
 They were ready, the performed well, they spread the gospel and returned to You.
Now it's our turn to let go and to send our young ones out too.  We thank you for teaching us and them just what to do.  The people who crossed our paths along the way were no mistake, not by chance, but they were there just in time to give a word from You.   Remind us that we can trust in you, because when we can't see them, we know that you do.  Help us to remember that they were yours first.  You lent them to us, to love and to nourish, but you never removed your hand or your eye from their presence.  You heard each one laugh and saw each one cry.  You gave us and our children the tools to succeed.  We know who to go to when we are in need.
They made it through with our love and your hand,
so that now we see each young woman and young man anxious and eager to know what to do, ready to move forward from us toward you.
Now they will learn to call on your name all on their own, no it won't be the same.
We'll stay on our knees and You'll hear us, too.  Give us comfort, give us strength, help them to know what to do.  We'll miss them and think of them often, and then, we'll return to our lives and work and begin
a new chapter in our own lives, once so filled with theirs, because they- safe and happy are so well prepared.
     Lord, please bless and keep our children as they move forward to college, the armed forces, a new apartment, a new marriage, a new town, a new job or whatever You would have them do.  Help us to let go.  Help us to trust in You.
       In Jesus name
       Amen