Another Step Away

This morning, my daughter, Madison, began her junior year in high school.  Where have the years gone?   Earlier this week, she was cleaning out her closet and dresser drawers and found a photo album with some of her baby and toddler pictures.  It seems like yesterday that we brought this bundle of joy home from the hospital after a few days in the "nic-u", and placed her in a large Christmas stocking and took our picture under the Christmas tree.  What a gift she has been!  She is growing into such a beautiful young lady and makes my heart, and her daddy's heart, proud! 

Today I'm reminded of a song that I used to listen to in the car when Turner, my son, was small.  Sung by "Ariel", the Disney mermaid, it was a song about growing up and was sung from a mother's perspective.  The line that moved me to tears every time I heard it went something like this. "With every pair of new shoes, they take another step away from our care."  This is so true.  Every mark of growth on the wall or door frame,  means another step away.  Although it can be very emotional, it is also very exciting to watch your children grow.  Tomorrow, my son begins his senior year at the University of South Carolina.  He will be 22 years old in September.  He is now an adult and is even closer to stepping away and being on his own.  He is living at home this year after living away for two, and I couldn't be more thrilled to have him home for just a little while longer.  He is such a joy to have around.  He makes us smile and we're so proud of him!

Another step away, though, can also mean another step closer.  Closer to what?  Closer to the Father.  Closer to spiritual maturity.  Sure we all want our children to grow up to become independent, productive citizens of society, but more importantly, we want them to grow up and mature in Christ.  Another step away from the world and another step closer to Jesus.  This is what I'm excited about! Watching my children grow up in Christ. The most important job we have as parents is to parent towards that end- their spiritual maturity.


     My devotional this morning, from Mornings with Tozer, was about this very topic.  A.W. Tozer said, "The apostle Paul's greatest desire was to always move forward in the knowledge and blessing of God."  He went on to say, "Because he did not want to stand still, Paul testified: "I follow after; I press toward the mark.  I am striving to lay hold of that for which Christ laid hold on me!" (See Phillipians 3:12)" Just because we reach one mark doesn't mean we stay there.  We press on toward the goal of Christ likeness.  That's what spiritual maturity is- looking like Jesus.

The small window of time that we have our children in our care is crucial.  We not only need to love them, teach and train them in the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord, but we have to live it in front of them each and every day.  We should all be in the process of stepping away from the world and stepping towards our Savior. 

                                                                                       

My prayer for both of you is....

"That you might be filled with all the fulness of God."  
                                                                     Ephesians 3:19

I love you both so very much!  It's my incredible pleasure to be your mom!

My Pleasure,
Melanie (Mom)