I have neglected my blog most of this semester, due to starting a second accountability group and just due to running in several directions. I started this blog for the A&E ladies (Accountability and Encouragement) but have spent more time with them in person lately than I have in writing. I hope to have some time this summer to get back to blogging on a regular basis. We’ll see!
Most of the time I don’t blog about my personal life too much. The purpose of the blog was to encourage the women in my life that running the race of life takes endurance especially when you are running in light of eternity and working to invest in eternal things. (Although occasionally I have addressed social and political issues too.) Today I am going to be a little more personal but hope it will also be applicable to my young friends who are moms and who are running that part of the race for His glory.
This day I put my 14 year old daughter on a plane to go to several Asian cities. She will be visiting three teams from our fellowship that are serving people in three different countries. She has known for a year that she would get this opportunity and she has worked like crazy to make it happen.
This morning as I watched her check and recheck her bag, her paperwork, and her carry-on, a part of me could not believe this beautiful, put-together person (who behaves well past her 14 years) was the same five pound, five ounce child that was placed in my arms 14 and 1/2 years ago.
She had applied for her passport on her own. Set up the passport appt. on her own. Applied for her visa to one of the countries on her own and called the agency several times when they messed up her paperwork. She raised the money needed to go on her own. She figured out what proper attire she needed to be culturally sensitive by asking questions of the right people, then made a date with me to go and get what she needed. I sat on the couch and looked at my almost grown daughter like she was a stranger for a minute. Where did the time go?
As most of you know I have homeschooled her. We have had tons of time together…not all of those days were easy days…but there were tons of fun ones. It struck me again that more than half of them are gone.
I have heard all my mothering life that I should be treasuring the time, “it will not last forever” and today as I watched her walk out the door, confident, excited, prepared, and sporting a beautiful smile and attitude, I felt that truth sting very sharply. She is growing up.
I do not feel at all like I can take credit for all that she is right now, nor do I think that her strength is the result of being homeschooled. In no way is this post about me or about homeschooling.
I only want to say, my dear young friends, INVEST in your children. Love them, talk to them, get to know them, treasure the time….. It is so worth it, and it is so temporary.
My prayer today is that I will be able to watch, with grace, her (and my others too) fly away from the nest one day. Though I know that will sting extremely sharply, I hope that I will trust God to direct them on the paths He has ordained for them. Help me, Father, to not waste any more time.
