Precious Moments

School begins for students tomorrow. Our son is a junior in high school this year. I think he is excited and ready to go back to school. He has a fairly stringent schedule but he doesn't think it will be too hard. He may be a bit surprised with 2 dual credit classes and 2 Advanced Placement or Pre AP classes, Spanish III, etc. I pray that this will be a good year for all of us.

Teenage years can be really difficult to maneuver for both parents and children. I'm not sure it matters if it's your first or your last - they are all different but difficult. As parents, we just have to continue to remind our children (and ourselves) that we will get through this time. We have to continue to keep communication lines open. Friends of ours told their oldest son, at about age 14 - "You are not going to like us much for the next few years. We may not like you much for the next few years. BUT we love you and we will continue to talk to you and expect you to carry on conversations with us. We will make it through these years, if we keep talking to each other!". I think they are pretty wise parents. The son now calls and talks to his parents for extended periods of time.

I took my son to lunch this past Friday as a treat before he had to go back to school. We enjoyed a good lunch and good conversation. I enjoyed teasing him just a bit and he did some of the same. This was a precious moment that I will treasure. I truly had a wonderful lunch with a great young man, who is turning out to be a very godly, Christian leader. My prayer for him is to continue to grow as God would have him, follow his "bent" for career and find the mate God is preparing for him.

We also were able to visit our daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter this weekend. We only got to spend a few hours with them but hopefully can get some extended time in the near future. I hadn't gotten to talk to my daughter as much this past week as we have through the summer. Classes started back for them and as I've already posted, my week was beyond nuts! I truly missed hearing her voice and just talking about whatever came to mind. She is doing a wonderful job as a mom and wife. Her father and I couldn't be prouder of her. Our son-in-law is taking a huge load and working full time. He has a full load but took time off Saturday to spend with us as well. We enjoyed the time we were with them. Of course, our granddaughter is just beautiful and changing every day! We got to hold her and play with her as well as visit with our daughter and son-in-law and his sister. What a treat!

You never know what may happen in the future as none of us has the promise of tomorrow. We found out this weekend that the oldest son of friends of ours took his own life this past Friday. While I was enjoying lunch with my son, they were in shock and mourning the loss of theirs. What a tragedy for a family that has been through a tremendous amount of loss already. Words are completely inadequate at a time like this. KLove's encouraging word of the day for today was Psalm 34:18 which says "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." I'm not sure brokenhearted and crushed in spirit are even adequate to describe the immense grief this family is dealing with right now. However, God promises to hold us in His arms during those times. He is truly the only one who can!

Hug those you love and be sure to tell them that you love them. We never know what tomorrow brings!