This was our last child to go through this weekend. In eight months our house will be teen full. There is a sadness I feel, amidst the excitement! As my hair is graying, age spots are spreading, and aches are multiplying, I realize we are changing seasons in our parenting. As eager as I am to see how God is going to use our children as they grow and mature, it is mixed with a missing of the “good old days”.
I imagine this is a common occurrence; that all parents go through these feelings. This past weekend as we walked through stores and parking lots, I yearned for a little hand to grab mine. To have one of them get tired and wrap their sweet arms and legs around me while I carry them, would have been a delight. In the pool I wanted to catch someone as they leaped off the edge into my grasp. Even out to eat, I wouldn’t have minded searching out a booster chair or having to share my portion while cutting it into small pieces. Ahhh, those days have faded away.
Although nostalgia is weighing in heavy today as we pass another
landmark with our children, I know we have a long ways to go. Parenting never ends, it only takes different forms. Guiding teens is different than training toddlers, yet just as important! It is time to jump back into my today. I must be fully engaged!
Thank You, Lord, for the memories. Now, strengthen me for today. Fill me with Your wisdom to pass on to our children. Open my eyes to what needs addressing and my ears to hurts, while knowing when to speak and when to be silent. Be glorified in our children’s lives! With great love, Amen.