Timehop pulls pictures from various places that I've given it access to, and then sends them to me on "the day of" - whenever it happened in years past. Sometimes I've saved photos from other years, and then it posts it to me again - which is what happened with this photo.
So as you can deduce, it actually took place TEN YEARS AGO! As did this one.
This was the day we took Tyler for his last family dinner together before his flight to the States to begin college.
What an emotional day that was for all of us, as our family dynamic changed in a matter of minutes when we waved goodbye to him, and sent him off to a life that we wouldn't be a part of on a daily basis anymore.
Oh how I cried that day! And each time after that when it was Caleb and Claire's turn to go as well.
And now, it's already TEN YEARS LATER! Tyler and his family live back here in Czech, serving with JV. Claire lives ten minutes away from us, also serving with JV. And Caleb and Haley, live in Albania - yes, they too are serving with JV. This still astounds and delights me, that God called them back to serve Him here.
But that night at the restaurant ,when we had our last dinner together as a family unit who had lived and experienced life together for 19 years, I felt very sad knowing that it would never be the same again. I grieved each time one of our kids left, asking the Lord to help me through the change of our family dynamics.
Ten years of perspective has taught me that while life truly never was the same, it became something even more beautiful. If I had tried to hang on to what "was", I would never have experienced the beauty of what "would be", and what "is" today.
And though those first 19 years were so good, the next ten were even better! And I'm sure it just keeps going like that when you don't try to hang on to the past, but let God move you into what His good future is.
I'm thankful He was patient with me then, tending to my heart when I was grieving, but also leading me into what He had for me in the future. I'm glad I didn't resist! And I'm so grateful for what His future held for all of us!
Girl....You will be writing this chapter in your next book. Oh how women need to hear these words about not hanging on to what was but to let go and embrace the changes. In my counseling office and with girlfriends, too often I hear them saying that they can't bear to have their children leave home. Well, those children hear those words and don't then feel the full freedom to launch and fly and soar. I love the way you have modeled to your kids that you miss them, but I have watched you closely and you have made sure not to mix your process with their process as best you could. Of course you're not perfect, but you have always sought to keep those two things separate. Promise me you'll include this in your next book because it's a message that needs to be out there and you are modeling what this looks like in real life in real relationships!
ReplyDelete