My oldest son has suddenly become a senior.  He has three more weeks of classes.  And in a whirlwind Memorial Day weekend he will graduate, have his Open House, and move to Camp Barakel for a summer of ministry there before he goes to Cornerstone University as a freshman next year.

Time goes by so quickly!  I am so glad that we and I had an excellent Spring Break trip around Europe.  It was encouraging to spend extended time with him in cool places.  We worked well together over the time and I was able to see some of the excellent character that God has worked into him as a man who is growing in faith.

The advance of time has one barb of cruelty that seems to be pretty consistent in parenting.  I still see him as a little boy.  Certainly my eyes work and I can see his stature.  I hear his increasing maturity.  I know he has already grown past me in many areas (especially music!).  But the problem has been how often in the past few years I have NOT released my grip on parenting him like he was still that little boy I spent so much time with 10 years ago.

We have one more month until his relationship to our household changes.  I know he may be back for shorter or longer stints in the coming years.  But next month he moves out to a new stage in his life.

I am so thankful to God for the man that Adam has become.  It is hard to believe that he will be launching out a month from now.   I have known in my head that this day was coming.  But my heart has sabotaged the preparation with denial.

If I had it all to do over again I would’ve started lightening up my grip earlier.  But I am confident that God’s got Adam in this next stage of life.  And I look forward to seeing what God is going to do in and through him in the coming years.  What a journey.  It has felt like running a race on a moving sidewalk!