Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Junior Ring . . .


The Junior Ring Ceremony was a really nice event - or should I say a "right of passage" for the young people involved. Like you always here from parents, "I can't believe they are already about to graduate". I am thinking the same thing. And this is only the beginning. We took plenty of pictures and the food was good. It was held at "The Lake House" on Old Hammond near Flannery. That place is beautiful. Her ring is really pretty.

As I was about to leave, I was sitting in the car in the parking lot getting a little 'down' emotionally. It was unusual in that I don't normally feel that way. So here I am psychoanalyzing myself as to why I am having these feelings. I never totally figured it out, but I think it is normal to feel a little lost when the kids are becoming older and more independent, going through the passages such as this Ring Ceremony. It is like a two sided coin, you are excited about the future for your children, but at the same time feeling the loss of them getting one step closer to leaving the nest. So I quoted some verses which helped me refocus on the Lord and His purposes for all of our lives. I had to preach myself happy in order to shake it off. Life is full of changes and challenges, but God said He would never leave us nor forsake us.

God Bless. George

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

George,

My heart goes out to you my friend. On the first day of school every year I cry all the way to work because I think it is one more year of them getting closer to Senior Year. You have an awesome daughter who loves the Lord with all of her heart and there is no doubt in my mind that she will be a wonderful adult with alot of love and kindest. What can I say she inherited that from her mother and father. It is going to be Ok. Gayle Wallace

Anonymous said...

Hey Man,

Don't be getting all emotional on us. Just joking. I know the feeling; however, it didn't hit me until I was printing out the pictures today and looked at my daughter receiving her ring. They are growing up. I was looking at all of the ones that were in Samantha's class when she started 4th grade at Hosanna and seeing how much they have all changed and are becoming young men and women. With all of these feelings we can truely say, we have become our parents. Now we know how they felt. My mother always told us that no matter if we left the nest, a parent never stops being a parent and a child never stops being a child. Words of wisdom, because God will never stop being our Father and we will never stop being His children. Stay strong.

Paul

Sonja said...

Imagine how Lauren may feel going through her own changes!!! She has awesome parents and close to her daddy, that speaks volumes!!!
I can't imagine the emmotions I will begin to have seeing Jonah as he gets that age. I only pray he becomes just as focussed on the Lord as Lauren is.
And Brian, well, what an awesome kid!!
I believe what you experienced in the car is NORMAL...all signs of a healthy daddy emmotion! And a great daddy at that! She will ALWAYS be your little daughter.

Still praying for you daily! Drive by the house in the evening some time and check out the Christmas lights!!

Sonja

Joyce said...

George,
Just reading your Blog tonight.
I read it occasionally but have never wrote anything as a comment. But tonight, I just wanted to let you know.......our kids have NEVER left the nest yet! HA! Gabe is going to be 23 and Caleb will be 21 next week and they both still live at home with our other 2~~!!! It's a bit crowded but we all survive. I know everyones circumstances are different. Gabe has gone all over the WORLD, serveral times ( I'm not exggaerating about that part either)and he ALWAYS comes back home to Mom and Dad. I used to tell him...."Gabe when you leave you have to find a new place to live because Luke's taking your room" and he still comes home and won't move out! HA! He and Luke are in the SAME room now...( many fights too! HA!) sleeping in bunk beds....Gabe's got the top bunk!!! Caleb and Ariel have their own rooms. Poor Luke!
Our kids just like to be with the family. That's a good thing. Just hang in there, no matter what, even if they do leave, their hearts are always at home. It's always been bittersweet when Gabe has left to go somewhere,( a parent always worries) he's been doing this since he was 16, we went through the tears and thoughts of "loosing our first born" back then so maybe we are a bit more used to it now? I have to say it's always great when they do come home safely. It's just a bit more crowded. Sounds like your Lauren is very special!!! You and Robin keep up the GOOOOD work. Hang in there! We are thinking and praying for you all!