Thursday, August 15, 2013

The waning days of summer


Three days ago, my eldest son boarded a plane for Colorado. The night before had been filled with packing & organizing & re-packing & chatting about the week to come, so when the clock blared loud at 3:15 a.m. (who flies out at 5:30 anyway??!), his demeanor was tinged with both excitement and exhaustion, anticipation and... hope.

Several hours later, he landed in Colorado Springs with a few of his fellow teammates, and from there they made the short jaunt to the Olympic Training Center where they're working hard this week, training for a dream.

Parenting truly is bittersweet.  On the one hand, children are supposed to grow up! God designed them that way, after all, and I wouldn't have it any other way. But when I watched my oldest babe stroll out the door-- suitcase in hand, adventure on face-- the tumult churned anew. Because the big girl in me was jumping up and down, cheering for all to hear... here comes my boy, and I am so, SO proud. But deep down inside, where no one but the Lord could see, a terrible ache spread slow... because my son is growing up.  All too quickly... growing up.

Thankfully, we live in the modern era.  Praise God for cell phones-- he called!-- and we talked long, and oh, how I rejoice in the gifts of the Lord!!


As we await his return, we pack and play and run and swim-- anxious for summer's last hoorah.  Back to the beach we go (as soon as we pick up our sure-to-be weary traveler from the airport), back to the glorious expanse... where earth meets sky, and the heavens truly declare His glory!

There are days when I wish summer would linger forever-- days on the sand, days that move slow.  But then I remember the beauty of seasonal change-- my favorite being next in line-- and I breathe deep the provision of the Father.

Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8

3 comments:

Mom said...

It definitely felt like Fall had already arrived this morning! I put on a sweatshirt to go out earlier. Mennonite Man even had pumpkin pie on the stand today! Love to all, Mom1

Kellie said...

The Olympic Training Center? Wow, how exciting!

So true that they grow up way too fast. My youngest seems to look older ever time I look at her and she will be going to away-school for the first time, so I'm having a hard time letting go. But you're so right, the LORD is good and we are blessed.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Katie said...

I'm living in Co Springs! I wish I had known... I would've taken him out to eat or something!! So how did it go!?!?