My wife, Laura, and I have experienced the wonder of God's unexpected and undeserved gifts in our nearly 30 years of marriage. She's my best friend on the planet, and we've shared every emotion, thousands of memories - good and bad...and we're better, by God's grace, as a result of all of it.
We're trusting that'll be true in this next chapter, too.
I'm posting this (and scheduling several other posts for this week in advance) before checking out of email, FB inbox, texts and phone for over a week. This is our final week with our only child, our daughter - Olivia - before she's off to college. We've talked to scores of parents who've been through this already. We know we're not the only ones who've ever done this. But this is our daughter. Our only child. This is our season. We're going to make the most of this week, helping her launch well.
Liv, not quite 4 years old
Liv, at 18 (picture by Dustin Maust)
She's headed to Herron School of Art (a school at IUPUI) in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. She's a talented, passionate individual. We couldn't be more proud. She loves Jesus and lives in the fact that she matters to God. She knows other people matter to God as well. That combination will change your life. It's changing hers.
We're expecting - based on the many comments from friends who've traversed this gut-wrenching path before us - to cry a lot when we leave the college campus. So, we're taking a few days into next week to hole up in a hotel, eat lots of food, spend plenty of us-time...thanking God for Liv and celebrating the relationship the two of us still share. Laura and I are best friends after all. We think we're going to be okay (and see Liv plenty, since she'll be less than three hours away... What? I'm not letting go yet? Nor easily. Dang straight. Hold your advice. My perogitive.).
So, enjoy the next several posts - with no comments from me for the next week and a half or so. Regardless the stage of life with the people you care most about - make this week count. Live life fully awake - aware and engaged, looking for Jesus in each moment, in each relationship.
That's what I'll be doing.
