Mile Stones

I'm contemplating today the passage of time and those mile stones that mark that passage. This morning we sat on the front porch of our home which sits just off the center of our sleepy little town. The traffic was much heavier than it has been over the past ten weeks or so. The faces in those cars and trucks were different than we've been seeing lately as well. Then there's that major change in the vehicles that are going by. Yes, we're seeing lots of cars and pick-up trucks. There is the occasional semi or delivery truck that goes by. But today is different, there are those long yellow and black buses going by that mark the beginning of another school year.

With some excitement, some apprehension, maybe a bit of sadness, I watched my boy head down the sidewalk to the curb. With back-pack on and bag of supplies in tow, Christopher was patiently waiting for his bus to stop and the driver to wave him across the street so that he could board. Funny really, how until today when folks would ask if he was excited to go back he would violently shake his head no. Yet today, when the reality is smacking him in the face, he is up early and waiting in front of the TV for 20 minutes or so before it is time to go out for the bus. Yes, the excitement of the new year was there. The earlier, negative reaction was for show. They learn so early.

All this reminds me though that there is another rite of passage that will be coming soon enough. There will be another morning when things are just a bit different than they were the day before. There will be another morning when he will get up and get ready, maybe even early like today. That day will be the day that he leaves the house on a more permanent basis. That will be a truly sad day for Connie and me. That will be the day when he heads out and begins a relationship that will change where our priority is in his relationship rankings. He will not replace us or turn away from us, but his new bride will certainly become the number one relationship in his life.

That's a good thing, I guess. Kind of makes me sad to think of it. But, isn't that day what we as parents are working toward from the time our wonderful children are born? We get them birthed, raise them, teach them, love them, and train them. Then the day comes when we will once again be free to revive the relationship with our spouse and we can't even get through the wedding without shedding tears of loss. And even with all of that going on we begin to think of the day with our children will bring us news of their having children. Our grandchildren will be coming soon and we have an opportunity to once enjoy the laughs, the hugs, the excitement, and even the tears of those little faces. What a joy to be grandparents.

All this to say that I'm sure God feels much the same way at times. He loves us and cares for us. He made sure that we had a path laid out before us. He is there when we fall off the path, ready to lend a hand, to teach the lesson, to give us the love we need. Yet time and again we step off our path. We even take side roads, going out on our own. Yet He is always there. What saddens Him the most is when we replace Him as our number one relationship. The Bible tells us plainly that God is a jealous God. What I find the most interesting is that God not only wants to hold the number one relationship in our lives, but when we allow God to hold the top position, the rest of our relationships become even better. Our marital relationship, the relationships with our children, our co-workers, our friends and other relatives, all will be better when we place the God of the universe as our number one relationship. As Mr. Ripley would say, "Believe it or not." I choose to believe it because I've lived it and know from experience. I pray you do, or will soon.